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| FUN FACTS |
Peanuts
- The peanut is not a nut, but a legume related to beans
and lentils.
- Peanuts are naturally cholesterol-free.
- Peanuts account for two-thirds of all snack nuts consumed
in the USA.
- There are four types of peanuts grown in the USA — Runner,
Virginia, Spanish and Valencia.
- Four of the top 10 candy bars manufactured in the
USA contain peanuts or peanut butter.
- The average American consumes more than six pounds of peanuts
and peanut butter products each year.
- March is National Peanut Month.
- Peanuts are planted after the last frost in April or early
May.
- Dr. George Washington Carver researched and developed more
than 300 uses for peanuts in the early 1900s; Dr. Carver
is considered "The Father of the Peanut Industry" because
of his extensive research and selfless dedication to promoting
peanut production and products.
- Astronaut Allen B. Sheppard brought a peanut with him to
the moon.
- Tom Miller pushed a peanut to the top of Pike's Peak (14,100
feet) using his nose in 4 days, 23 hours, 47 minutes and
3 seconds.
- Most USA peanut farms are family-owned and -operated.
- The peanut plant originated in South America.
- As early as 1500 B.C., the Incans of Peru used peanuts
as sacrificial offerings and entombed them with their mummies
to aid in the spirit life.
- Peanuts contribute more than $4 billion to the USA economy
each year.
- The peanut growth cycle from planting to harvest is about
five months.
- The average peanut farm is 100 acres.
- The peanut plant produces a small yellow flower.
- Americans eat more than 600 million pounds of peanuts (and
700 million pounds of peanut butter) each year.
- Peanuts flower above ground and then migrate underground
to reach maturity.
- Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the USA
- Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
- Adrian Finch of Australia holds the Guinness World Record
for peanut throwing, launching the lovable legume 111 feet
and 10 inches in 1999 to claim the record.
- A mature peanut plant produces about 40 pods that then
grow into peanuts.
- Peanuts are a good source of folate, which can reduce the
risk of certain birth defects in the brain and spinal cord.
- Ever wonder where the term "Peanut Gallery" comes
from? The term became popular in the late 19th century and
referred to the rear or uppermost seats in a theater, which
were also the cheapest seats. People seated in such a gallery
were able to throw peanuts, a common food at theaters, at
those seated below them. It also applied to the first row
of seats in a movie theater, for the occupants of those seats
could throw peanuts at the stage, stating their displeasure
with the performance.
Peanut Butter
- Peanut butter is the leading use of peanuts in the USA.
- Peanut butter was the secret behind "Mr. Ed," TV's
talking horse.
- It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut
butter.
- There are enough peanuts in one acre to make 30,000 peanut
butter sandwiches.
- Peanut butter was first introduced to the USA in 1904 at
the Universal Exposition in St. Louis by C.H. Sumner, who
sold $705.11 of the "new treat" at his concession
stand.
- The oldest operating manufacturer and seller of peanut
butter has been selling peanut butter since 1908.
- Peanut butter is consumed in 89 percent of USA households.
- The world's largest peanut butter factory churns out 250,000
jars of the tasty treat every day.
- Women and children prefer creamy, while most men opt for
chunky.
- People living on the East Coast prefer creamy peanut butter,
while those on the West Coast prefer the crunchy style.
- It takes two grindings to make peanut butter. The intense
heat produced from one, long grinding would ruin the flavor
of the peanut butter.
- November is Peanut Butter Lovers Month.
- Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter
stuck to the roof of your mouth.
- The average child will eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches before he/she graduates high school.
- The world's largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich was
created in Oklahoma City, OK, on September 7, 2002 by the
Oklahoma Peanut Commission and the Oklahoma Wheat Commission.
The PB & J sandwich weighed in at nearly 900 pounds,
and contained 350 pounds of peanut butter and 144 pounds
of jelly. The amount of bread used to create the sandwich
was equivalent to more than 400-one pound loaves
of bread. Now that's one giant sandwich!
- Sixty percent of consumers prefer creamy peanut butter
over crunchy.
- The patent for peanut butter was awarded to Dr. John Harvey
Kellogg in 1895.
- The amount of peanut butter eaten in a year could wrap
the earth in a ribbon of 18-ounce peanut butter jars one
and one-third times.
- Americans spend almost $800 million a year on peanut butter.
- Americans eat enough peanut butter in a year to make more
than 10 billion peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
- Spread the word — Peanut butter is the leading use of
peanuts in the USA!
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