Many people do not know that peanuts are not actually nuts.
Peanuts come from peanut plants that are native to South America, but they can be found today in North America, Africa and other parts of the world that are warm and humid. Despite the name, peanuts are not technically nuts, but a part of the legume family, because they contain an edible pod, like peas and beans. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Original Intended Use
When peanut plants were introduced to the United States in the mid-1800s, they were initially harvested to provide feed for pigs. The reason peanuts were favored as a pig feed is because they are high in protein and fiber and contain a large amount of fat, so pigs that were on a peanut diet would fatten more quickly. Prior to its introduction in the U.S., the peanut plant was harvested as food and animal feed in its native environment.
Discovery of Peanut Butter
Peanut butter was first discovered by George Washington Carver, a professor who thoroughly researched peanut plants and peanut uses. One of his most popular discoveries with the peanut was that one could be used to create an edible peanut spread, today known as peanut butter. Equipped with a knowledge in agriculture and chemistry, George Washington Carver created peanut butter in 1880; however, he never patented the process due to religious beliefs. It was not until the turn of the century that peanut butter began to be mass produced and sold as a packaged food product.
Peanut-Based Medicine
Another discovery made by George Washington Carver was that peanuts, combined with creosote, an oil from coal tar, could be used to treat tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases. Unlike peanut butter, he patented this discovery and marketed it as a medicine through a company that he created.
Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is commonly used in cooking to fry other foods. It has a high smoke point, which means that it won't smoke when heated at high temperatures, and also has a mild taste, so that the foods cooking in it are not tainted with a peanut taste. In addition to applications in cooking, peanut oil is also used in beauty products as a moisturizer, as well as leather moisturizing products.
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