Preacher invented Graham Cracker to stop masturbation

A Presbyterian preacher invented Graham Cracker to stop masturbation. Sylvester Graham hated sex which he blamed for headaches, epilepsy and insanity.

In 1829, he invited a bland, biscuit-like cracker as a cure for Onanism and to quell sexual urges. The biscuit became known as Graham Crackers, reports New York Post.

The story behind the origin of the Graham Crackers is found in the book "The Vegetarian Crusade: The Rise of an American Reform Movement, 1817-1921." Adam Shprintzen, author of the book, writes that Graham was orphaned at a young age which made him turn to religion, specifically the Presbyterian Church, for support.

Because he was sickly, the young Graham became obsessed with health and studied the human body at Amherst College. He dropped out because he was unpopular and instead worked as a farm hand and teacher. Among his teachings were that people became physically sick because of sex, materialism and gluttony.

He blamed masturbation for inflaming the brain “more than natural arousal” which is equivalent to “self-abuse.” Graham claimed stimulating sexual urges were caused by eating and drinking delicious food such as meat, coffee and spices.

As part of his strong anti-masturbation war, he helped launched the vegetarian movement in the US and created the snack that reflected his beliefs. Graham thought the brittle, flavourless whole wheat biscuit could help suppress sexual desire, especially among adolescent boys, explains Shprintzen, a professor of history at Marywood University in Pennsylvania.

Graham developed a special process for baking using finely ground, unbleached wheat flour, wheat bran and coarsely ground germ when he first made the cracker in Bound Brook, New Jersey. His adherents says the bland crackers healed them from nervousness, headaches and depression.

The grain-based diet sparked the modern-day equivalent of a fad diet, the professor adds. Apparently, Italians, with their healthier Mediterranean diet, are non-believers in the Graham Cracker’s healing properties since the country’s Parliament passed a law in 2015 which removed the criminal aspect of masturbating in public places and was upheld recently by La Corte di Cassazione, the country’s Supreme Court.

VIDEO: Graham Crackers Were Invented to Curb Sexual Appetite