Happy National Peanut Butter Month !!

Happy National

Peanut Butter Month !!

National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day has arrived and people everywhere are celebrating. This holiday salutes one of America’s most popular peanut-derived sandwich spread.  The famous spread is comprised of 90 percent or more peanuts.

Whether you prefer it smooth, chunky, or natural, peanut butter is the perfect addition to any snack. It goes with practically everything: crackers, pretzels, celery, carrots, apples, bananas, chocolate, and much more.

George Washington Carver is largely credited for creating peanut butter in the U.S. But Carver is mistakenly credited with the invention of peanut butter. 

By the time Carver published “How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it For Human Consumption” in 1916, many methods of preparation of peanut butter had been developed or patented by various pharmacists, doctors and food scientists working in the US and Canada.

The Aztec were known to have made peanut butter from ground peanuts as early as the 15th century.

Canadian pharmacist Marcellus Gilmore Edson was awarded U.S. Patent 306,727 (for its manufacture) in 1884, 12 years before Carver began his work at Tuskegee.

 

Aside from the broadly popular peanut butter and jelly sandwich, there are many different recipes offering uses for the creamy spread that include cakes, brownies, porridge, pancakes, and Elvis Presley’s famous favorite - peanut butter and banana sandwich with bacon.

So, have one of those famous peanut butter sandwiches, or a cookie or a peanut butter cup. Or just get a spoon and a jar and you’ll be ready to celebrate!

By the Numbers

• There are enough peanuts in one acre to make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.
• Delta Airlines purchased 69.6 million packs of peanuts for its passengers in 2013
• By law, any product labeled “peanut butter” in the United States must be at least 90 percent peanuts.
• The world’s largest peanut butter factory churns out 250,000 jars of the tasty treat every day.
• Four of the top 10 candy bars manufactured in the USA contain peanuts or peanut butter.
• Americans spend almost $800 million a year on peanut butter.
• Peanuts are the #1 snack nut consumed in the U.S., accounting for two-thirds of the snack nut market.

Consumption Facts

• The Huffington Post (Sept. 2014) asked, “What makes the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich?  Results show, 36 % say strawberry jam is favorite (grape is 31%); favorite bread is white bread (54%); favorite type of peanut butter is smooth (56%) and a whopping 80 % like their PB & J with the crust left on the sandwich.
• The average American consumes more than six pounds of peanuts and peanut butter products each year.
• 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.

Peanuts Made Famous

• Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the USA – Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
• Astronaut Alan Shepard brought a peanut with him to the moon.
• Peanut butter was the secret behind “Mr. Ed,” TV’s talking horse. Spreading peanut butter inside the horse’s mouth created a natural talking movement every time the animal moved his sticky jaws.
• Former President Bill Clinton confessed that one of his favorite sandwiches is peanut butter and banana; also reported to have been the favorite of Elvis “the King” Presley.

How do you like your peanuts?

• People living on the East Coast prefer creamy peanut butter, while those on the West Coast prefer the crunchy style.
• Sixty percent of consumers prefer creamy peanut butter over crunchy.
• Peanut butter is the leading use of peanuts in the USA.
• “Boiled peanuts” are considered a delicacy in the peanut growing areas of the South. Freshly harvested peanuts are boiled in supersaturated salt water until they are of a soft bean like texture.

 

Peanut allergy
For people with a peanut allergy, peanut butter can cause a variety of possible allergic reactions, including life-threatening anaphylaxis. This potential effect has led to banning peanut butter, among other common foods, in some schools.

Nutrition Facts

• Peanuts have more protein, niacin, folate and phytosterols than any nut.
• Peanuts and peanut butter contain over 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients.
• Peanuts are naturally cholesterol-free.