September 13 is National Peanut Day, a day to celebrate all the wonderful things about this tasty legume. That’s right! Peanuts aren’t actually nuts – nuts grow on trees – they grow underground, like potatoes. Since they are an edible seed that forms in a pod, they belong to the family Leguminosae with peas and beans.
Peanuts have a wide range of health benefits. For starters, according to The Peanut Institute, when it comes to plants packing protein power, peanuts provide a whopping 8 grams per ounce. The peanut is also high in antioxidants. Not only are peanuts high in vitamins E and B6, but they’re rich in minerals such as magnesium, iron, and zinc. Studies also show when paired with other nutrient-rich foods, this wonderful legume helps us absorb nutrients better, too. Peanut oil is vegan, trans fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat, and one of the healthiest oils available.
The growing availability of the humble peanut is owed to evolving farming practices. Until modern methods came along, planting and harvesting peanuts were labor-intensive and risky endeavors for farmers. In spite of the difficulty in procuring them, their popularity grew. Civil War soldiers found a fondness for them, and so did fans of PT Barnum’s traveling circus. But what made it possible for peanuts to be grown in abundance was an advancement in farm technology. Just like the cotton gin revolutionized the cotton industry, planters and harvesters transformed not only the peanut farm but farming the world over.
Then there’s the massive contribution from Dr. George Washington Carver to the world of peanuts. George Washington Carver was an agricultural scientist and inventor who developed hundreds of products using peanuts (though not peanut butter, as is often claimed), sweet potatoes and soybeans. Born into slavery before it was outlawed, Carver left home at a young age to pursue education and would eventually earn a master’s degree in agricultural science from Iowa State University. He would go on to teach and conduct research at Tuskegee University for decades, and soon after his death his childhood home would be named a national monument — the first of its kind to honor a Black American.
When the boll weevil started wreaking havoc on the South’s cotton crops starting in 1892, Dr. Carver made a suggestion. He had been researching this amazing groundnut and suggested farmers diversify into peanuts. It became an economic boon to Southern farmers. He published his research “How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption” in 1916. His continued research resulted in more than delicious uses for this goober, groundnut or ground pea. From shaving cream to plastics and cosmetics and even coffee, Dr. Carver’s appetite for the peanut seemed to be unending. Many of the peanut discoveries Dr. Carver made 100 years ago are still being used today.
Peanuts are the most commonly enjoyed nuts in America. With peanut butter factored in, peanuts comprise over two-thirds of total nut consumption in the U.S. So go out and celebrate #NationalPeanutDay today!
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