Where Do Peanuts Come From

Peanuts or groundnuts, as the name says are not actually nuts and neither do they grow on trees like other nuts. They are legumes that grow under the ground with the plant growing to about 60 cm in height. It is planted in the months of April and May. The growth and production of these legumes is very interesting. So if you want to know where do peanuts come from, keep reading.

Growth and Production of Peanuts

Peanuts were planted in 1000 B.C. in South America. It grows to a height of about 18 inches and bears small yellow flowers after about 40 days of planting. After pollinating, the flowers dry and fruits are formed. Unlike other legumes, the fruits grow towards the ground with the help of the stems. These fruits develop seeds inside the ground and this is the peanut legume that we eat. Peanuts are harvested after 5 months from plantation.

Peanut can be planted at home in pots too. Even though the peanut plant originated in South America, it is now grown all over the world. There are about four types of peanuts grown in America today, but there are many varieties of the peanut plant grown in other parts of the world. The peanut varieties grown in America are mentioned below:

• Spanish peanuts: These are used mainly to make candies and peanut oil and are found in Oklahoma and Texas.
• Valencia peanuts: They are known to be the sweetest of the four types of peanuts and are mainly grown in North Mexico.
• Virginia peanuts: These peanuts are roasted and sold with or without their shells. They are grown in Virginia, and North and South Carolina.
• Runner peanuts: The famous peanut butter is made from these peanuts and they are grown all over the United States.

Though peanuts originated in South America, today the percentage of peanuts produced in that region is negligible in comparison to some other countries of the world. China at 37.5%, India at 19% and Nigeria at 11% are some of the major producers of peanuts in the world. In the US, Georgia is mainly famous for peanut plantations. It has about 14,418 peanut farms and every year almost 70 to 80 counties in Georgia produce almost 2 billion pounds of peanuts.

Facts about Peanuts

If you want to know, where do peanuts come from, here is the answer. It was Columbus who discovered peanuts in 1492 when he landed on the island of Haiti. These plants were then introduced to China and India by American missionaries and travelers. Peanuts are also very nutritious and are used in different delicacies and dishes all around the world. Peanut oil is used as a cooking oil in many countries. They are rich in magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, copper and zinc. They also provide vitamin E and folate (vitamin B9). Peanut butter was created by a physician from St. Louis around 1980 for elderly patients as an easily digestible, high protein food. Peanut butter is at least 90% peanuts! Another interesting fact about peanuts is that most of the peanut pods contain two seeds but sometimes they can contain five.

Agreed, peanuts are nutrient-rich, but we cannot ignore the fact that about ¼ of the world's population, suffer from peanut allergy and it is known to be the second most common food allergy in children. It is well-known that peanuts and peanut butter along with olive oil, when consumed with a low fat diet, results in 10% reduction in cholesterol levels of the body. As peanuts or peanut butter can fill your stomach for at least another two hours after consumption, you can have a better control over your diet and hence your weight. Peanuts are a great snack for a break as they not only fill your stomach but also help you stay healthy and fit.

Even though peanuts were discovered in South America, today we can grow them anywhere, even in our backyard. If you are not a peanut fan, think again as these little pink seeds can make a lot of difference to your health. Hope this article gave you an idea about where do peanuts come from and also gave you some other interesting facts about them.