036. Corn Flakes: From Moral Crusade to Breakfast Empire

A turn‑of‑the‑century health crusade linked bland diets to moral purity, targeting sexual self‑gratification. An accidental overcooked grain became a crisp, easily digestible breakfast food marketed as a tool for self‑control. Commercialization transformed the austere health product into a mass‑market cereal empire, shifting focus from moral regulation to convenience and branding. The story illustrates how food innovations can arise from ideological motives and later become cultural staples.

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