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Do you know how many peanuts it takes to make an ounce of peanut butter? How about the number of peanut butter sandwiches you could make with one acre of peanuts?  Peanut butter and peanuts it comes from are staples in the diets of most Americans.  As we head into November, which is National Peanut Butter Lover’s month, here are the answers to those two questions and a bunch of other fun facts about peanuts and peanut butter.

Fun Facts About Peanuts and Peanut Butter

• It takes about 540 peanuts to make 12 ounces of peanut butter according to the National Peanut Board which means one ounce would take about 45 peanuts.
• Ancient Incans used peanuts for sacrificial offerings and in religious rites.
• Peanut butter was first patented in 1884 by a man from Quebec, Canada.
• President Thomas Jefferson and President Jimmy Carter were both peanut farmers.
• Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.
• The Reese’s peanut butter cup was first introduced to Americans in 1928.
• The largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich was made in Grand Saline, TX and weighed 1,342 pounds.
• A peanut traveled to the moon with astronaut Allen Shepherd.
• One acre of peanut plants can yield enough peanuts to make 30,000 sandwiches.
• In order to be labeled peanut butter in the US, a product must be made from at least 90% peanuts.
• Every year, an average American will eat more than six pounds of peanut butter and  peanuts.
• In the battle of the butters, 60% of consumers would pick creamy peanut butter over   the crunchy variety when given the choice.  Men are more likely to pick crunchy as  are those in the Western states.  Women, children and those on the East Coast are   bigger fans of the creamy kind.
• Of the top 10 candy bars made in the US, four contain peanuts or peanut butter.
•  Americans spend more than $800M a year on peanut butter.
• Before finishing high school, the average American child will have eaten more than   1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
• One peanut plant can yield about 40 peanuts.
• George Washington Carver did extensive research and development in the area of  peanut farming and uses of peanuts for consumption and is considered the father of the   peanut industry.
• Although the word nut is in its name, a peanut is not actually a nut; it is a legume.
• Peanuts have more antioxidants than grapes, green tea, broccoli, and spinach.
• Peanuts contain more than 30 essential nutrients and are naturally cholesterol free.

Now that you’re up to speed with some fun facts about peanuts, are you hungry for some peanut butter? If you like honey with your peanut butter, you should check out our honey farmers on www.fillyourplate.org!

Related articles

• The Price of Peanut Butter Rising (fillyourplate.org)
• It’s National Peanut Butter Month! (fillyourplate.org)
• Arizona Honey Farmers (fillyourplate.org)