Postum was a powdered roasted grain beverage sold by the Kraft Foods company as a coffee substitute. The caffeine-free beverage mix was created by The Postum Cereal Company founder C. W. Post in 1895 and produced and marketed by Postum Cereal Company as a healthful alternative to coffee. (The Postum Cereal Company eventually became General Foods which was bought by Kraft Foods.) Post was a student of Dr. John Harvey Kellogg who believed caffeine to be unhealthy. Postum was made from wheat bran, wheat, molasses, and maltodextrin from corn. It was discontinued in 2007.[1][2][dead link]
Postum enjoyed an enormous rise in sales and popularity in the U.S. during World War II as coffee became heavily rationed and people searched for a replacement.[3]
Before being discontinued in October 2007, it was sold in the USA and Canada. The 8 oz. (226 g) glass jar contained about 75 teaspoon servings. This 10‑calorie beverage was caffeine free, fat free, trans-fat free, sodium free, and Kosher. In addition to the original flavor, there was also a coffee-flavored version.
In the wake of its discontinuance, a number of replica recipes for Postum have circulated across the Internet.[4]
Postum was sometimes marketed by an invisible cartoon ghost named, "Mister Coffee Nerves", who would appear in situations wherein people were shown in uncomfortable life-situations (e.g., irritability, lack of sleep, lack of athletic prowess) due to their use of coffee and its negative effects. These cartoons always ended with the afflicted people switching to Postum and Mister Coffee Nerves running away until the next cartoon.[5]
It was also a sponsor for the radio shows Lum and Abner, Beulah and The Aldrich Family, and for the radio version of Father Knows Best.
Postum was popular among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was part of Mormon culture for many years.[6][7]
Since 1945, postum was a US code name for polonium-210, used in the Urchin style nuclear weapon initiators.
References
- ^ Sara Israelsen-Hartley (1 January 2008). "Fans in withdrawal from coffee substitute Postum". Deseret Morning News. http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695240438,00.html. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
- ^ Taashi Rowe (22 January 2008). "Goodbye to Postum". Adventist News. http://news.adventist.org/data/2008/1200610280/index.html.en. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
- ^ Mark Pendergrast (2000). Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World. Basic Books. p. 223.
- ^ http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1630,149185-250198,00.html
- ^ James Lileks. "The Adventures of Mr. Coffee Nerves". Lileks.com. http://www.lileks.com/comics/coffeenerves/index.html. Retrieved 2008-03-01.
- ^ Stephenson, Kathy. "Mormons mourn Postum’s passing". Salt Lake City Tribune. http://www.religionnewsblog.com/20254/postum. Retrieved 2009-12-04. (reprinted at religionnewsblog.com)
- ^ "Goodbye to Postum". Adventist News Network. http://news.adventist.org/2008/01/goobye-to-postum.html. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
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