Peanuts

The peanut is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. Atypically among legume crop plants, peanut pods develop underground (geocarpy) rather than above ground. The capacity to fix nitrogen of peanuts makes them valuable in crop rotations. Peanuts are similar in taste and nutritional profile to tree nuts such as walnuts and almonds. peanuts are usually categorized as nuts for culinary purposes. The oldest known archeological remains of pods have been dated at about 7,600 years old found in Peru. Peanut butter was developed in the 1880s and 1890s in the United States and Canada. Spanish peanuts have a higher oil content than other types of peanuts. Since 1940, the southeastern US region has seen a shift to production of Runner group peanuts. This shift is due to good flavor, better roasting characteristics and higher yields when compared to Spanish types. China had 34% of global production, followed by India (19%).

Peanuts are common in Peruvian and Mexican cuisine. Crunchy coated peanuts, called kabukim in Hebrew, are a popular snack in Israel. The coating typically consists of flour, salt, starch, lecithin, and sometimes sesame seeds. In the Indian subcontinent, peanuts are a light snack, usually roasted and salted and often sold roasted in pods. They are also made into dessert or sweet snack of peanut brittle (Chikki or gajjak) by processing with refined sugar and jaggery. Another use is peanut oil for cooking. In Canada and the United States, peanuts are used, in candies, cakes, cookies, and other sweets. In the United States, peanuts and peanut butter are central to American dietary practices, and are typically considered as comfort foods. Peanuts are an excellent source of plant-based protein, fiber, and many key vitamins and minerals.