September 13, 2022 – Peanuts

Happy National Peanut Day! Did you know peanuts aren’t actually nuts? They’re technically a legume, because they grow underground, not on trees! They’re in the same family as chickpeas, soybeans, and lentils.
The peanut plant likely originated in Peru or Brazil. It’s widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, including here in the U.S. Farmers here grow 4 different types of peanuts: Spanish, runner, Virginia, and Valencia. It’s our 12th most valuable cash crop, with American peanut farmers produced nearly 2 million tons of peanuts each year.
We’ve had 2 peanut farmers elected President. Thomas Jefferson was the first President known to have grown peanuts. The other of course is Jimmy Carter, who grew up on his parent’s 360-acre peanut farm.
George Washington Carver is known as the “grandfather of peanuts”. While he discovered many innovative farming methods and published many ways to use peanuts, he did not invent peanut butter. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (the founder of Kellogg cereal) invented a version of peanut butter in 1895, and the new product was introduced at the 1904 World’s Fair. By law, any product labeled “peanut butter” has to contain at least 90% peanuts.
Americans love peanuts and peanut butter. Per person, we eat around 8 pounds of peanut products every year. Peanuts have many health benefits. They’re a great source of protein and have many other nutrients, minerals, and vitamins. They actually have the potential to save lives, too. A product called “Plumpy’Nut” is a peanut-based paste that is used to treat malnutrition in emergency situations. The United Nations has used it to save lives all over the world. Learn more here.