Peanuts. They are synonymous with certain food products in America, from peanut butter to peanut oil to Reese’s peanut butter cups and to Hershey’s kisses. They are a staple of candy bars and candy items; the delicious sweetness to them a perfect complement to chocolate, such as in Nutella. But peanuts go far beyond a tasty delight.
Peanuts come from the peanut bush, which extends into the ground and produces nuts atop its branches. It originally came from a wild species, merging into a crop that could be more cultivated. It is the common belief that this occurred in South America, whereby peanut plants spread up through South America, then through Central, then to the U.S.
Peanuts became a staple of America with the advent of Jiff and other peanut butter manufacturers. Former President Jimmy Carter brought it further into the nation’s consciousness, as he ran for president under the platform that he was a peanut farmer (of supposed humble origins in agrarian America).
Today, global peanut production totals about 29 million metric tons per year.
Americans today use peanuts not just for peanut butter but for a wide array of uses, from taste buds to medicinal properties. Some of the ways American use peanuts include:
- Peanut oil
- Peanut butter
- To eat peanuts raw
- In candy bars
- Peanut oil to fry
- Other various peanut products
There are many different reasons for this. Here are six.
The Taste
The taste of peanuts is known by a great deal of Americans. Most Americans know the taste of peanut butter, as it consumed by the majority of Americans. One statistics shows that 94% of American homes have at least one jar of peanut butter in the pantry. And while a peanut allergy is a possibility, a major U.S. institute says 98% of children are safe.
Most likely get to know peanut butter through either the jar or within candy bars. Candy items such as Reese’s, Twix bars, Hershey kisses, and others have employed peanut butter for years as a way to get individuals to buy their products. It is so tasty that many grab it at the supermarket before checking out.
Peanut butter is an interesting way of using peanuts. The National Peanut Board reports that it takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter. It was first introduced at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904 and quickly took the country by storm. Soon companies like Jiff were to become a household name.
Interestingly enough, FDA regulations state that if a product is to be called peanut butter, it must have at least 90% peanuts. While men tend to prefer chunky peanut butter (containing full or partial nuts) and women and children tend to prefer smooth peanut butter (no nuts), both seem to enjoy peanut butter equally. It is a popular food.
The Nutrition
Peanuts, whether in the form of peanut butter (less healthy) or raw peanuts (much healthier), are full of nutrition. There are 19 nutrients in peanuts, with significant amounts of Vitamin E, magnesium, niacin, copper, and manganese. While all of these vitamins and minerals can be gotten elsewhere, peanuts are not a bad option.
When it comes to the spread of nutrients within peanut butter, they are high in both protein and fat and low on carbs. Peanuts are high in the “good” kinds of fat, meaning unsaturated and polysaturated fats, which are known to reduce overall cholesterol. The protein is a good amount per portion size, as many nuts are.
Peanuts are good as an alternative to protein bars and other processed sources of protein. Because peanuts are raw, they can be consumed without having to deal with chemicals, additives, and genetic modifiers, as most other products on the market currently are. Finding organic peanuts is an extra plus.
Ask yourself a question: ‘What can I make with Peanuts?’ The answer is significant.
What Can I Make With Peanuts?
To answer the question, What Can I Make With Peanuts, you must understand that peanuts are a variable food, in that it’s possible to form them into many dishes. Peanuts have a particular type of oil which is good for cooking; it can also be rubbed into hair for therapeutic purposes. It’s good in protein powder and others.
To ask, What Can I Make With Peanuts, is to answer honestly: Many, many things.