PEANUT FACTS

Peanuts originated in South America, where they were cultivated by Indians for at least 2000 years. Spaniards and Portuguese slave traders introduced them to Africa, Europe and the American South.

Though there are several varieties of peanut, the two most popular are the Virginia and the Spanish peanut. The Virginia peanut is larger and more oval in shape than the smaller, rounder Spanish peanut. Unshelled peanuts should have clean, unbroken shells and should not rattle when shaken.

The first peanuts grown in the United States were grown in Virginia.

Americans eat 3 pounds of peanut butter per person every year. That's about 700 million pounds, or enough to coat the floor of the Grand Canyon!

March is National Peanut Month. National Peanut Month had its beginnings as National Peanut Week in 1941. It was expanded to a month-long celebration in 1974.

One acre of peanuts will make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.

One acre of peanut plants yields about 2,860 pounds of peanuts.

Two peanut farmers have been elected President of the United States: Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.

Peanuts are also called goobers, goober peas, pindars, ground nuts, earth nuts, monkey nuts, and grass nuts.

Peanuts contain about 28% protein, 50% oil and 18% carbohydrates.

Peanuts are members of the pea family.