6 Amazing Facts About the Peanut

One of the most popular foods throughout history has been the peanut. This classic food is actually not a not but rather a legume. Regardless of what you call it, there’s no denying that the peanut remains incredibly popular throughout the United States. Considering that this food has been around for ages, the peanut has many interesting facts surrounding it. It’s understandable to want to learn more about the wonderful food that’s known as the peanut. With that in mind, here are six incredibly interesting facts all about peanuts.

1. A Food Unchanged by Time
   
   One of the most interesting peanut facts is how unchanged this food continues to be. Unfortunately, you’ve likely heard news stories about genetically modified foods. Sadly, supermarkets across the nation now contain many foods that are modified in all sorts of ways. Fortunately, you won’t be dealing with this problem while consuming peanuts. There are no GMO peanuts currently anywhere on the market. The peanuts you’re eating now are 99.9% identical to the ones eaten by your ancestors.
2. Where Peanut Butter Truly Came From
   
   There are a few interesting facts about peanut butter that you’ll want to learn about. It’s important to note that foods were often introduced to America at fairs across the nation. Although fairs are still currently popular, these events were absolutely astounding gatherings throughout much of the 1900s. In fact, it was during the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair when peanut butter was first introduced to America. That being said, experts believe the people who invented peanut butter were likely the ancient Aztecs.
3. The Number of Peanuts in a Jar of Peanut Butter
   
   You’ve probably wondered how many peanuts go into a jar of peanut butter. You’ll find that it takes an astounding 540 peanuts are needed to make a 12 ounce container of peanut butter. In addition, there are strict standards regarding how much peanut content must be within a jar of peanut butter. The FDA requires that any product being labeled as peanut butter must have at least a 90% peanut content.
4. Elephants Don’t Eat Peanuts
   
   One of the most commonly heard peanut facts is actually a myth. This is that peanuts love eating peanuts. While you’ve probably seen this image portrayed in books and cartoons, elephants don’t like peanuts. However, it is true that elephants are vegetarians. Statistics show that elephants spend nearly 80% of their day eating.
5. There are Many Uses for Peanut Shells
   
   It’s understandable to consume peanuts and toss away the shells. However, you might want to stop doing this after finding out that certain peanut facts involve this food’s shell. The peanut shell has many uses. For instance, you can use peanut shells as an effective and environmentally friendly type of compost material. In addition, peanut shells work well as kindling for fires.
6. World Record Peanut Throwers
   
   While there are many interesting peanut snack ideas, certain people focus on throwing these items to try and break records. In fact, Guinness World Records currently shows that Colin Jackson maintains the record for throwing a peanut. Amazingly, Jackson was able to throw a peanut for an amazing distance of 124 feet and four inches.

In closing, there is certainly a wide range of amazing peanut facts. This food continues to remain one of the most popular throughout the world. You’ll find that peanuts are used in a wide variety of foods. The next time you eat this food, consider thinking about the previously mentioned amazing peanut facts.