Southern gal gets "Nutty" about peanut facts.
Peanuts are not nuts! By now, most people know that they are grown below ground and considered a part of legume family. Lentils, chickpeas, and soybeans are also of the same family. But there are many other facts about peanuts beyond its mislabeling that sets it apart from its family members.
1. Presidents love peanuts. Two presidents farmed the peanut: Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter. One president loves to eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches: Bill Clinton.
2. It’s cheaper to grow peanuts! It takes five gallons to produce one ounce of peanuts compared to 80 gallons to produce one ounce of almonds.
3. The South isn’t the only place peanuts grow in the United States: New Mexico and Oklahoma are also considered major peanut states.
4. There are four different kinds of peanuts: the Valencia, the Spanish, the Virginia, and the Runner. Hope and Harmony Farms grows the larger kernelled Virginia peanuts.
5. Gender and location influence peanut butter preference: Women, children, and East Coasters prefer creamy, while men and West Coasters like crunchy.
6. Peanuts require a lot of acreage. The average peanut farm is 100 acres and approximately 1.44 million acres are used in the United States each year to grow legume. Hope and Harmony Farms is growing 390 acres of Virginia peanuts.
7. Peanut oil is preferred by cooks around the world: The peanut oil’s higher smoke point allows for neutral flavor while maintaining monounsaturated fatty acids. This means peanut oil equals good food that doesn’t taste like grease!
8. March is National Peanut Month! Interestingly, the peanut growing season begins the following month and last from April to October.
References
"16 Fun Facts about Peanuts & Peanut Butter." National Peanut Board