What Do S’mores And Masturbation Have In Common?
What do s’mores and masturbation have in common? Nothing, you say? Well, we know you won’t be showing up on Jeopardy any time soon, because you couldn’t be more wrong. Believe it or not, they can both be linked to a 19th Century Presbyterian minister who fought for social reform and healthy living. The Rev. Sylvester Graham believed carnal urges—lust—were the source of many health issues. You know, like blindness and hairy palms, as well as pulmonary disease and even epilepsy. He even thought condiments such as ketchup and mustard promoted insanity.
Graham felt a vegetarian diet, high in whole wheat and fiber, consisting of only bland, spice-free foods could help people decrease their sex drives and stop unholy behaviors like masturbation. He promoted his diet through his many writings and speeches. Oberlin College embraced Graham’s diet and utilized it in its cafeteria for several months in 1841. The college took the diet so seriously one professor was fired because he was caught adding pepper to his meal. During this period, the main staple in students’ diets was a cracker made of coarsely ground, unsifted wheat flour.
Figured out the connection yet? Yes, this crazy Rev. Graham is the one, the only inventor of the Graham cracker, that bland brown cracker served to Oberlin College students during 1841. But today’s Graham crackers aren’t exactly what the reverend was aiming for back in his crazy days. Most treats now marketed are made with bleached white flour—something Graham thought was an absolute dietary evil. The snacks really caught on back in 1898 when the National Biscuit Company—now known as Nabisco—started producing its own Graham crackers. Then in 1925 Nabisco introduced its Honey Maid line of crackers, and Rev. Graham probably flipped over in his puritanical grave at the mere thought of adding sweetener to his creation.
Even though Graham developed a small following back in his day, most people thought he was completely bonkers. Still, there were those who happily hopped on board his crazy train and even stayed in what were known as “Graham boarding houses” in New York and Boston. But as crazy as some of Graham’s ideas were, he also pushed for some lifestyle choices that were ahead of his time, including the abstention from alcohol and tobacco, as well as the importance of fresh air, exercise and a good night’s sleep. Graham advocated daily toothbrushing—considered a revolutionary idea in his day—and regular bathing. Plus, during an era of recurring cholera epidemics, he urged people to drink pure water.
And even though his motivation may have been misguided, Graham’s diet was healthier for people than what they were eating during his time. In fact, people today can take some pointers from him. Dieticians are constantly telling people to stick to a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and seeds, while avoiding fat, salt and sugars. Rev. Graham’s story certainly supports the adage, “All great truths begin as blasphemies.”
