Bircher Müsli was first produced around 1900 and has been particularly popular on breakfast tables ever since. It is a mix between a grain mixture with fruit . The oatmeal, which is an essential part of the cereal, is soaked beforehand.
The inventor of the muesli was Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner . This cereal looks back on a long tradition and has been adapted several times in the past. It enjoys great popularity worldwide and is eaten for breakfast in many countries.
Who is Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner?

Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, or Max Bircher-Benner for short, was the inventor and developer of the Bircher muesli. He lived from 1867 to 1939 and had four siblings. Max Bircher-Benner was a Swiss doctor who was already interested in medicine in his youth.
He studied and obtained his doctorate in medicine in Zurich. After graduating, he opened his own practice in 1891. In the following years, he was a sought-after doctor and took care of patients with various problems. A little later, he married the daughter of a pharmacist, Elisabeth Benner.
He developed one of the most famous Swiss dishes, the Bircher Muesli, in 1900. He invented the cereal after he had no suitable medicine when treating a patient.
He had a total of seven children with his wife, Elisabeth. Some of his children became doctors like him. In addition, he treated private patients in a clinic founded by him and a business partner, the "Centralbad."
In addition to his profession as a doctor, he also published several documents in which he mainly dealt with healthy nutrition.
The Therapeutic Concept of Bircher-Benner
The raw-food diet of Bircher-Benner
The raw-food diet is based on a case where a woman came to his practice seriously ill. There was no suitable remedy to help her, so the situation was quite critical.
He developed the raw food diet to help the woman and subsequently applied this diet to himself after he was diagnosed with jaundice. With the raw food diet, patients initially only eat raw food before switching to a vegan and lactose-free diet.
Subsequently, there were discussions with the opposition, who considered this diet unreasonable. Nevertheless, the raw food diet was subsequently used in hospitals and by doctors. This diet was prescribed for patients suffering from osteoarthritis.
The order therapy
In order therapy, a person's day consisted of a heavily planned schedule. This therapy consists of a walk before breakfast, gardening, gymnastics, and plenty of exercise. Night's rest is already at 9 pm.
Thomas Mann was one of the people who used this therapy from Bircher-Benner. In a novel, he praised the therapy and spoke out for its effectiveness. In addition to the body, the psyche is also protected and improved.
The Modern Reception
This reception is related to the digestion of raw food. Because the Swiss doctor had a different level of knowledge at the time he published this reception, the reception was refuted a little later. The cell membranes act differently than initially assumed by Bircher-Benner.
The History of Bircher Muesli

The importance of oats , which are a large part of the muesli, was proven several hundred years earlier. The muesli was developed by Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner because he wanted to address different methods than normal doctors for healing patients. He developed the Bircher muesli in 1900. Learn more about " The History of Bircher Muesli ".
It consists of, among other things, soaked oatmeal, grated apple, and almonds. One night, the bircher cereal should be placed in the refrigerator before it is eaten.
Nowadays, the cereal is often prepared with chia seeds . As a result, it was initially offered primarily by restaurants and cafés in Switzerland, the doctor's home country. Restaurants offering vegetarian food in particular sold the dish. Furthermore, the cereal was also offered in prisons or monasteries.
From the 1950s onwards, more and more cereals were offered for breakfast. Due to the increasing popularity, more and more companies and individuals tried to slightly change the recipe of the cereal.
Bircher mueslis were offered by some companies with dry mixes instead of oatmeal . Furthermore, attempts were also made to change the name of the cereal and to have it protected in order to claim possible success.

What makes Bircher Muesli so popular worldwide?
It is favored by people worldwide for breakfast because it promises energy for the day. Bircher muesli is a Swiss original and is therefore eaten by many people, especially in Switzerland.
Nowadays, it can be prepared quickly and is therefore suitable for the morning. In addition, it is a healthy breakfast and offers ingredients that are important for a balanced diet.
Verival, for example, has reinterpreted the original Bircher Muesli recipe. The successful reinterpretation consists of an original Bircher Muesli and Verival Bircher Porridge products. These high-quality breakfast varieties are easy to prepare. With your favorite toppings such as fruits, seeds, and nuts, you can create your own Bircher breakfast dish.

Bircher Muesli Original Basic Recipe
Ingredients
- 50 g tender oatmeal
- Water
- 600 ml milk
- 1 lemon
- 4 apples
- 4 tbsp grated or chopped hazelnuts
Preparation
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Place the oatmeal in a bowl and cover with water
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Place the mixture in the fridge and let it swell for at least an hour
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Remove the oatmeal from the fridge in the morning and add the milk
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Rub the apples over the muesli and stir in
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Sprinkle the grated or chopped hazelnuts over the cereal
Tip
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