Dan+H.

Sylvester Graham joined the Pennsylvania Temperance Society in 1830. He acted as a traveling speaker. He eventually expanded his disapproval of the consumption of alcohol to include other foods. He believed that overstimulation of the body caused disease and so that by consuming foods devoid of meat, spices, white breads, and any liquid save water, one could live longer. Some other things he believed contributed to disease were variety in foods and the number of items on the table. He suggested that people try to eat at the same time every day. He invented Graham Bread (the predecessor to Graham Crackers), which was made from unsifted flour, lacking any chemical additives.

He spread his beliefs through lecture tours and different publications. He eventually acquired a following, often called the Grahamites. In 1837 he published A Treatise on Bread and Bread-Making which reportedly caused bakers in Boston to form a mob. 10 years Graham played a part in the foundation of the American Vegetarian Society.

Graham’s ideas always were somewhat controversial and considered crazy by some but following his early death in 1851, people really questioned it. He claimed that his dietary system could let people live into the hundreds but because he did not, people no longer believed it as much.

Works Cited

"History of Vegetarianism - Sylvester Graham (1795-1851)." //International Vegetarian Union//. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. .

"Sylvester Graham." //SFSU WWW Home Page is not on this server//. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. .