Graham bread
Encyclopedia
Graham bread was invented by Sylvester Graham
in 1829 for his vegetarian diet. The Graham bread was high in fiber
, made with non-sifted whole wheat flour
.
Graham invented that bread free from chemical additive
s that were common in white bread at that time such as alum
and chlorine
. He argued that these chemical additives were unwholesome in that they increased the sex drive, which would in turn deplete the body.
While Graham's specific theories on the dangers of "venereal excess" have no scientific footing, he was correct in his broader stance against additives as both alum and chlorine are now known to be toxic. The use of additives by bakeries was a common practice during the Industrial Revolution to make bread whiter in color, and more commercially appealing. Refined bread was a status symbol of the middle class because of its "purity and refinement" in its color and was purchased, rather than home-made.
Sylvester Graham
The Reverend Sylvester Graham was an American dietary reformer. He was born in Suffield, Connecticut as the 17th child of Reverend John Graham. Sylvester Graham was ordained in 1826 as a Presbyterian minister. He entered Amherst College in 1823 but did not graduate...
in 1829 for his vegetarian diet. The Graham bread was high in fiber
Dietary fiber
Dietary fiber, dietary fibre, or sometimes roughage is the indigestible portion of plant foods having two main components:* soluble fiber that is readily fermented in the colon into gases and physiologically active byproducts, and* insoluble fiber that is metabolically inert, absorbing water as it...
, made with non-sifted whole wheat flour
Whole wheat flour
Whole wheat flour is a powdery substance derived by grinding or mashing the wheat's whole grain. It is used in baking but typically added to other "white" flours to provide nutrients , texture, and body to the finished product....
.
Graham invented that bread free from chemical additive
Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
s that were common in white bread at that time such as alum
Alum
Alum is both a specific chemical compound and a class of chemical compounds. The specific compound is the hydrated potassium aluminium sulfate with the formula KAl2.12H2O. The wider class of compounds known as alums have the related empirical formula, AB2.12H2O.-Chemical properties:Alums are...
and chlorine
Chlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
. He argued that these chemical additives were unwholesome in that they increased the sex drive, which would in turn deplete the body.
While Graham's specific theories on the dangers of "venereal excess" have no scientific footing, he was correct in his broader stance against additives as both alum and chlorine are now known to be toxic. The use of additives by bakeries was a common practice during the Industrial Revolution to make bread whiter in color, and more commercially appealing. Refined bread was a status symbol of the middle class because of its "purity and refinement" in its color and was purchased, rather than home-made.