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 are 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 in America.
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.
The world's largest peanut was 4 inches long and was grown by Earl Adkins in North Carolina.
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.
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 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.
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