In 1863, the first cold cereal was invented by a doctor named James Caleb Jackson. He believed that cold cereal could be a cure to illness. At the time, many health care practitioners believed sickness originated in the digestive system.

According to Hilary Greenbaum and Dana Rubenstein of The New York Times Magazine, the doctor double-baked graham flour into brittle cakes that were so hard, they had to be soaked in milk overnight.

Not exactly appetizing.

John Harvey Kellogg (sound familiar?) tried his hand at creating a similar breakfast cereal, but without that awful rock-hard quality. He created his own 'Granula' from a mixture of flour, oatmeal and cornmeal.

After Jackson sued, Kellogg renamed the breakfast cereal "Granola" and, with his brother, William Kellogg, he founded the cereal empire we know today.

Not only did he invent a newer, more edible recipe for 'Granula,' but he also created the cereal flake, writes Karen Hochman for The Nibble.

So, the next time you pour a bowl full of Froot Loops, be grateful that Kellogg came along, otherwise, we'd probably still be soaking our 'Granula' rocks as part of our nightly routine!

What is your favorite breakfast cereal? Let us know in the comments below!

[Sourece: The New York Times Magazine / Smithsonian]