Boring On Purpose, Graham Crackers Were Invented To Curb Sexual Appetite

Graham Crackers weren’t always the delicious flat biscuits we know so well today. It’s damn near impossible not to immediately imagine a pants-wetting food porn shot of graham crackers sandwiching slightly charred jumbo marshmallows and melting squares of chocolate, but for the case of this history lesson, you’ll want to think less sensually.

In fact some recently resurfaced news reminds us that graham crackers were actually created as a deterrent to our ferocious sexual appetites.

19th century minister Sylvester Graham preached that alcohol, meat and fatty food led to lust and sexual urges and that bland foods would curb that sinister hunger. Thanks Graham, as if I needed more tools to get curbed.

Graham’s theory went through a roller coaster of acceptance, becoming quickly adopted, gained popularity, became damn near cultish, then fell off because of said cult (hell, his followers were dubbed “Grahamites”).

Over the years, the biscuit took on different variations, until the National Biscuit Company, or as we know them, NABISCO, sweetened the bland index cards with a bit of honey, and the graham crackers we know today were born. Now graham crackers have become a flavor of their own, finding there way into a massive catalog of unique recipes and even became an OREO flavor!