Are you Eating Granola or Granula?

Granola vs. Granula

Like all inventions, the story of granola is not without controversy.

Dr. Caleb Jackson invented something he called “granula” in 1863 and trademarked the name. Made from baked graham flour, it was similar to today’s Grape Nuts cereal.

Around the same time, John Harvey Kellogg invented a similar product and also named it “granula.” Kellogg’s granula was made from oatmeal, wheat flour, and cornmeal.

When Jackson threatened a lawsuit, Kellogg changed the name to “granola.” He literally changed one letter to avoid a lawsuit and went on to trademark “granola.” Incredibly, such a ploy worked. Kellogg never really marketed it, but according to Webster’s dictionary, the first known use of the word granola was in the 1970s.

And that’s the story of how we met your granola.

Share this true story with your friends! It’s even more interesting with a delicious bowl of our GranOla!