NATIONAL PEANUT MONTH
In March during National Peanut Month, join the celebration featuring one of America’s favorite snack foods.
This little legume is a powerhouse of flavor and versatility. Humans have been consuming the peanut since around 1400 BC. Also known as groundnuts, the peanut grows underground and belongs to the Leguminosae family which includes peas and beans. According to the National Peanut Board, peanut consumption increased to 7.9 pounds per capita in 2021. That’s an astonishing amount of peanuts!
Two U.S. presidents were peanut farmers: Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
When it comes to plants packing protein power, peanuts provide a whopping 8 grams per ounce, more than any other nut according to The Peanut Institute. And remember, it’s not a nut! Nuts grow on trees. The peanut is also high in antioxidants. This goober (as they’re called in the south), is also 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.
Revolutionary inventions and discoveries made the peanut easier to cultivate during the late 1800s and early 1900s. One such contributor was Dr. George Washington Carver who is considered the Father of the Peanut. His dedicated research into the peanut led him to publish “How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption” in 1916. His continued interest resulted in more than delicious uses for the peanut.
HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalPeanutMonth
Savor the taste of delicious peanuts all month long. These tasty nuts add a punch of flavor to almost any dish. Eat them whole or spread peanut butter on a sandwich. Bake up a delicious treat using peanuts. You can also learn more about the history of peanuts, George Washington Carver, or how they have been cultivated over the years. However you celebrate, be sure to use #NationalPeanutMonth on social media.
NATIONAL PEANUT MONTH HISTORY
National Peanut Month had its beginnings as National Peanut Week in 1941 but later morphed into a month-long celebration in 1974.
