Corn, Niacin, and the History of Pellagra

摘要

The recognition that certain diseases were caused by a lack of a specific nutrient occurred as nutrition science evolved. In some instances, many centuries elapsed before a connection was made. In others, only a few hundred years elapsed between the description of a disease and its nutrient cause. This is the situation for the disease, pellagra, which was only recognized as impoverished people began to depend on corn as their major food source.