Peanut
Native to South America, the Aztecs were the first to cultivate
the peanut. In the 15th Century, Spanish and Portuguese sailors
introduced the peanut in Africa. Later on, the slave trade brought
it to North America.
Towards the end of the 19th Century, the Americans decided to
commercialize peanuts on a grand scale and developed peanut butter
as we know it today. The product became so popular that close to
50% of the peanut production in the United Sates goes to peanut
butter factories.
Peanuts grown in other countries are usually harvested for cooking oil (peanut oil). Aside from the United States, the biggest producers of peanuts are India, China, Nigeria and Indonesia.
Though the peanut is considered to be a nut, in actual fact, it is a legume that is part of the family that includes peas, dry beans and string beans.
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- Discard any peanuts that are old, stained, dark, rancid or mouldy.
- Eat peanuts whole, mashed, ground or creamed. They can be plain or salted, dry-roasted or honey-roasted, chocolate-covered or oil-covered.
- The peanut is a main ingredient in South American, African and
Indonesian cooking where it is used to complement fish, meat,
poultry, soups, sauces, salads and desserts. The well-known
Indonesian;satay;sauce is made with peanuts.
In addition to the nutritional elements common to all legumes, peanuts are high in calories and high in fats.