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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the crop. For the comic strip, see Peanuts. For other
uses, see Peanut (disambiguation).
"Arachis hypogaea" redirects here. For Peanut allergen powder, see Peanut
allergen powder-dnfp.

"Goober peas" redirects here. For the folk song, see Goober Peas.

Peanut

Scientific
classification

Kingdom: Plantae

Clade: Tracheophyt
es

Clade: Angiosperms

Clade: Eudicots

Clade: Rosids

Order: Fabales

Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily Faboideae
:

Genus: Arachis

Species: A. hypogae
a

Binomial name

Arachis hypogaea

L.

Subspecies and
varieties

 subsp. fastigiata
Waldron

 var. aequat
oriana Krap
ov. & W. C.
Greg

 var. fastigia
ta (Waldron
) Krapov. &
W. C. Greg

 var. peruvia
na Krapov.
& W. C.
Greg

 var. vulgari
s Harz

 subsp. hypogaea
L.

 var. hirsuta
 J. Kohler

 var. hypoga
ea L.

Synonyms[1]

 Arachis
nambyquarae Ho
ehne

 Lathyrus
esquirolii H. Lév.

The peanut (Arachis hypogaea), also known as the groundnut,[a]

[2]
goober (US),[3] goober pea,[4] pindar (US)[3] or monkey nut (UK), is
a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds, contained in underground
pods. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics by small and large
commercial producers, both as a grain legume[5] and as an oil crop.
[6]
Geocarpy is atypical among legumes, which led botanist Carl Linnaeus to
name the species hypogaea, or 'under the earth'.

The peanut belongs to the botanical family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae),

commonly known as the legume, bean, or pea family.[1] Like most other
legumes, peanuts harbor symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules,
[7]
which improve soil fertility, making them valuable in crop rotations.

Despite not meeting the botanical definition of a nut as

"a fruit whose ovary wall becomes hard at maturity,"[8] peanuts are usually
categorized as nuts for culinary purposes and in common English. Some
people are allergic to peanuts, and can have a potentially fatal reaction; this
is distinct from tree nut allergies.

Peanuts are similar in taste and nutritional profile to tree nuts such
as walnuts and almonds, and, as a culinary nut, are often served in similar
ways in Western cuisines.

Botanical description
 Illustration of a peanut plant and pods with
seeds in "Les plantes potagères" Vilmorin Andrieux 1903

Peanut flower

The peanut is an annual herbaceous plant growing 30 to 50 centimetres (12

to 20 in) tall.[9] As a legume, it belongs to the botanical family Fabaceae, also
known as Leguminosae, and commonly known as the legume, bean, or pea
family.[1] Like most other legumes, peanuts harbor symbiotic nitrogen-
fixing bacteria in their root nodules.[7]

The leaves are opposite and pinnate with four leaflets (two opposite pairs; no
terminal leaflet); each leaflet is 1 to 7 cm (1⁄2 to 2+3⁄4 in) long and 1 to 3 cm
(1⁄2 to 1+1⁄4 in) across. Like those of many other legumes, the leaves
are nyctinastic; that is, they have "sleep" movements, closing at night. [10]

The flowers are 1 to 1.5 cm (3⁄8 to 5⁄8 in) across, and yellowish orange with
reddish veining.[11][9] They are borne in axillary clusters on the stems above
ground and last for just one day. The ovary is located at the base of what
appears to be the flower stem but is a highly elongated floral cup.[citation needed]
Peanut fruits develop underground, an unusual feature known as geocarpy.
[12]
After fertilization, a short stalk at the base of the ovary—often termed
a gynophore, but which appears to be part of the ovary—elongates to form a
thread-like structure known as a "peg". This peg grows into the soil, allowing
the fruit to develop underground.[12] These pods, technically called legumes,
are 3 to 7 centimetres (1 to 3 in) long, normally containing one to four seeds.
[11][9]
The shell of the peanut fruit consists primarily of a mesocarp with
several large veins traversing its length.[12]

Peanut seed separated showing

the cotyledon, plumule and radicle

Parts of the peanut include:

 Shell – outer covering, in contact with soil

 Cotyledons (two) – the main edible part

 Seed coat – brown paper-like covering of the edible part

 Radicle – embryonic root at the bottom of the cotyledon, which can be

snapped off

 Plumule – embryonic shoot emerging from the top of the radicle

Peanuts
Phytochemistry

Peanuts
contain polyphenols, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, phytosterol
s, and dietary fiber in amounts similar to several tree nuts.[13] Peanut skins
contain resveratrol.[14]

History

The Arachis genus is native to South America, east of the Andes,

around Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Brazil.[15] Cultivated peanuts (A.
hypogaea) arose from a hybrid between two wild species of peanut, thought
to be A. duranensis and A. ipaensis.[15][16][17] The initial hybrid would have
been sterile, but spontaneous chromosome doubling restored its fertility,
forming what is termed an amphidiploid or allotetraploid.[15] Genetic analysis
suggests the hybridization may have occurred only once and gave rise to A.
monticola, a wild form of peanut that occurs in a few limited locations in
northwestern Argentina, or in southeastern Bolivia, where the
peanut landraces with the most wild-like features are grown today, [11] and
by artificial selection to A. hypogaea.[15][16]

The process of domestication through artificial selection made A.

hypogaea dramatically different from its wild relatives. The domesticated
plants are bushier, more compact, and have a different pod structure and
larger seeds. From this primary center of origin, cultivation spread and
formed secondary and tertiary centers of diversity in Peru, Ecuador,
Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Over time, thousands of peanut landraces
evolved; these are classified into six botanical varieties and two subspecies
(as listed in the peanut scientific classification table). Subspecies A. h.
fastigiata types are more upright in their growth habit and have shorter crop
cycles. Subspecies A. h. hypogaea types spread more on the ground and
have longer crop cycles.[11]

The oldest known archeological remains of pods have been dated at about
7,600 years old, possibly a wild species that was in cultivation, or A.
hypogaea in the early phase of domestication.[18] They were found in Peru,
where dry climatic conditions are favorable for the preservation of organic
material. Almost certainly, peanut cultivation antedated this at the center of
origin where the climate is moister. Many pre-Columbian cultures, such as
the Moche, depicted peanuts in their art.[19] Cultivation was well-established
in Mesoamerica before the Spanish arrived. There, the conquistadors found
the tlālcacahuatl (the plant's Nahuatl name, hence the name
in Spanish cacahuate) offered for sale in the marketplace of Tenochtitlan. Its
cultivation was introduced in Europe in the 19th century through Spain,
particularly Valencia, where it is still produced, albeit marginally. [20] European
traders later spread the peanut worldwide, and cultivation is now widespread
in tropical and subtropical regions. In West Africa, it substantially replaced a
crop plant from the same family, the Bambara groundnut, whose seed pods
also develop underground.[21] In China and India, it became an agricultural
mainstay, and these countries are the largest producers in the world
(Production section).

Peanuts were introduced to the US during the colonial period and grown as a
garden crop.[22][9] Starting in 1870, they were used as an animal
feedstock until human consumption grew in the 1930s. [9] George Washington
Carver (1864–1943) championed the peanut as part of his efforts for
agricultural extension in the American South, where soils were depleted after
repeated plantings of cotton. He invented and promulgated hundreds of
peanut-based products, including cosmetics, paints, plastics, gasoline and
nitroglycerin.[23]

Peanut butter was first manufactured in Canada via an 1884 US patent

by Marcellus Gilmore Edson of Montreal.[24] Peanut butter became well known
in the United States after the Beech-Nut company began selling it at the St.
Louis World's Fair in 1904.[25] The US Department of Agriculture initiated a
program to encourage agricultural production and human consumption of
peanuts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. [9]

Varieties

The examples and perspective in this following

paragraphs deal primarily with the United States and
do not represent a worldwide view of the
subject. You may improve this following paragraphs,
discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new
following paragraphs, as appropriate. (August
2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Cultivars in the United States

 Peanut fields in the United States

There are many peanut cultivars grown around the world. The market classes
grown in the United States are Spanish, Runner, Virginia, and Valencia.
[26]
Peanut production in the US is divided into three major areas: the
southeastern US region which includes Alabama, Georgia, and Florida; the
southwestern US region which includes New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas;
and the third region in the general eastern US which includes Virginia, North
Carolina, and South Carolina.[26] In Georgia, Naomi Chapman Woodroof is
responsible for developing the breeding program of peanuts resulting in a
harvest almost five times greater.[27]

Certain cultivar groups are preferred for particular characteristics, such as

differences in flavor, oil content, size, shape, and disease resistance.[28] Most
peanuts marketed in the shell are of the Virginia type, along with some
Valencias selected for large size and the attractive appearance of the shell.
Spanish peanuts are used mostly for peanut candy, salted nuts, and peanut
butter.

Spanish group

The small Spanish types are grown in South Africa and the southwestern and
southeastern United States. Until 1940, 90% of the peanuts grown in the US
state of Georgia were Spanish types, but the trend since then has been
larger-seeded, higher-yielding, more disease-resistant cultivars. Spanish
peanuts have a higher oil content than other types of peanuts. In the US, the
Spanish group is primarily grown in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. [26]

Cultivars of the Spanish group include 'Dixie Spanish', 'Improved Spanish 2B',
'GFA Spanish', 'Argentine', 'Spantex', 'Spanette', 'Shaffers Spanish', 'Natal
Common (Spanish)', "White Kernel Varieties', 'Starr', 'Comet', 'Florispan',
'Spanhoma', 'Spancross', 'OLin', 'Tamspan 90', 'AT 9899–14', 'Spanco', 'Wilco
I', 'GG 2', 'GG 4', 'TMV 2', and 'Tamnut 06'.

Runner group

Since 1940, the southeastern US region has seen a shift to producing Runner
group peanuts. This shift is due to good flavor, better roasting
characteristics, and higher yields when compared to Spanish types, leading
to food manufacturers' preference for the use in peanut butter and salted
nuts. Georgia's production is now almost 100% Runner-type. [28]

Cultivars of Runners include 'Southeastern Runner 56-15', 'Dixie Runner',

'Early Runner', 'Virginia Bunch 67', 'Bradford Runner', 'Egyptian Giant' (also
known as 'Virginia Bunch' and 'Giant'), 'Rhodesian Spanish Bunch' (Valencia
and Virginia Bunch), 'North Carolina Runner 56-15', 'Florunner', 'Virugard',
'Georgia Green', 'Tamrun 96', 'Flavor Runner 458', 'Tamrun OL01', 'Tamrun
OL02' 'AT-120', 'Andru-93', 'Southern Runner', 'AT1-1', 'Georgia Brown', 'GK-
7', and 'AT-108'.

Virginia group

The large-seeded Virginia group peanuts are grown in the US states of

Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and parts
of Georgia. They are increasing in popularity due to the demand for large
peanuts for processing, particularly for salting, confections, and roasting in
shells.

Virginia group peanuts are either bunch or running in growth habit. The
bunch type is upright to spreading. It attains a height of 45 to 55 cm (18 to
22 in), and a spread of 70 to 80 cm (28 to 31 in), with 80 to 90 cm (31 to
35 in) rows that seldom cover the ground. The pods are borne within 5 to
10 cm (2 to 4 in) of the base of the plant.

Cultivars of Virginia-type peanuts include 'NC 7', 'NC 9', 'NC 10C', 'NC-V 11',
'VA 93B', 'NC 12C', 'VA-C 92R', 'Gregory', 'VA 98R', 'Perry', 'Wilson, 'Hull', 'AT
VC-2' and 'Shulamit'.

Valencia group

Valencia peanuts

Valencia group peanuts are coarse and have heavy reddish stems and large
foliage. In the United States, large commercial production is primarily in
the South Plains of West Texas and in eastern New Mexico near and south
of Portales, but they are grown on a small scale elsewhere in the South as
the best-flavored and preferred type for boiled peanuts. They are
comparatively tall, reaching a height of 125 cm (49 in) and a spread of 75 cm
(30 in). Peanut pods are borne on pegs arising from the main stem and the
side branches. Most pods are clustered around the base of the plant, and
only a few are found several inches away. Valencia types are three- to five-
seeded and smooth, with no constriction of the shell between the seeds.
Seeds are oval and tightly crowded into the pods. Typical seed weight is 0.4
to 0.5 g. This type is used heavily for selling roasted and salted in-shell
peanuts and peanut butter. Varieties include 'Valencia A' and 'Valencia C'.

Tennessee Red and Tennessee White groups

These are alike except for the color of the seed. Sometimes known also as
Texas Red or White, the plants are similar to Valencia types, except the
stems are green to greenish brown, and the pods are rough, irregular, and
have a smaller proportion of kernels.

Cultivation

Peanut pegs growing into the soil. The tip of

the peg, once buried, swells and develops into a peanut fruit.

Peanuts grow best in light, sandy loam soil with a pH of 5.9–7. Their capacity
to fix nitrogen means that providing they nodulate properly, peanuts benefit
little or not at all from nitrogen-containing fertilizer,[29] and they improve soil
fertility. Therefore, they are valuable in crop rotations. Also, the yield of the
peanut crop itself is increased in rotations through reduced diseases, pests,
and weeds. For example, in Texas, peanuts in a three-year rotation with corn
yield 50% more than nonrotated peanuts.[29] Adequate levels of phosphorus,
potassium, calcium, magnesium, and micronutrients are also necessary for
good yields.[29] Peanuts need warm weather throughout the growing season
to develop well. They can be grown with as little as 350 mm (14 in) of water,
[30]
but for best yields need at least 500 mm (20 in).[31] Depending on growing
conditions and the cultivar of peanut, harvest is usually 90 to 130 days after
planting for subspecies A. h. fastigiata types, and 120 to 150 days after
planting for subspecies A. h. hypogaea types.[30][32][33] Subspecies A. h.
hypogaea types yield more and are usually preferred where the growing
seasons are sufficiently long.

Cultivation of peanut crop at

the Indian Directorate of Groundnut Research (Junagadh, Gujarat, 2009)

Peanut plants continue to produce flowers when pods are developing;

therefore, some pods are immature even when they are ready for harvest. To
maximize yield, the timing of harvest is important. If it is too early, too many
pods will be unripe; if too late, the pods will snap off at the stalk and remain
in the soil.[34] For harvesting, the entire plant, including most of the roots, is
removed from the soil.[34] The pods are covered with a network of raised
veins and are constricted between seeds.

The main yield-limiting factors in semi-arid regions are drought and high-
temperature stress. The stages of reproductive development before
flowering, at flowering, and at early pod development are particularly
sensitive to these constraints. Apart
from nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, other nutrient deficiencies
causing significant yield losses are calcium, iron and boron. Biotic stresses
mainly include pests, diseases, and weeds. Among insects pests, pod borers,
aphids, and mites are of importance. The most important diseases are leaf
spots, rusts, and the toxin-producing fungus Aspergillus. [35]
 Harvest of peanuts (Bandjoun, Cameroon, 2016)

Harvesting occurs in two stages.[28][self-published source?] In mechanized systems, a

machine is used to cut off the main root of the peanut plant by cutting
through the soil just below the level of the peanut pods. The machine lifts the
"bush" from the ground, shakes it, then inverts it, leaving the plant upside
down to keep the peanuts out of the soil. This allows the peanuts to dry
slowly to a little less than a third of their original moisture level over three to
four days. Traditionally, peanuts were pulled and inverted by hand.

After the peanuts have dried sufficiently, they are threshed, removing the
peanut pods from the rest of the bush.[34] Peanuts must be dried properly and
stored in dry conditions. If they are too high in moisture, or if storage
conditions are poor, they may become infected by
the mold fungus Aspergillus flavus. Many strains of this fungus
release toxic and highly carcinogenic substances called aflatoxins.

Pests and diseases

If peanut plants are subjected to severe drought during pod formation, or if

pods are not properly stored, they may become contaminated with the
mold Aspergillus flavus which may produce carcinogenic substances
called aflatoxins. Lower-quality peanuts, particularly where mold is evident,
are more likely to be contaminated.[36] The USDA tests every truckload of raw
peanuts for aflatoxin; any containing aflatoxin levels of more than 15 parts
per billion are destroyed. The peanut industry has manufacturing steps to
ensure all peanuts are inspected for aflatoxin. [37] Peanuts tested to have high
aflatoxin are used to make peanut oil where the mold can be removed. [38]

The plant leaves can also be affected by a fungus, Alternaria arachidis.[39]

Production
 Peanut production
2023, millions of
tonnes

China 19.2

India 10.3

Nigeria 4.3

United
2.7
States

Sudan 1.4

World 54.3

Source: FAOSTAT of
the United Nations[40]

In 2023, world production of peanuts (reported as groundnuts excluding

shelled) was 54 million tonnes, led by China with 36% of the total and India
with 19% (table).

Toxicity

Allergies

Main article: Peanut allergy

Some people (1.4–2% in Europe and the United States [41]) report that they
experience allergic reactions to peanut exposure; symptoms can be
especially severe, ranging from watery eyes to anaphylactic shock, the latter
of which is generally fatal if untreated. Eating a small amount of peanuts can
cause a reaction. Because of their widespread use in prepared and packaged
foods, avoiding peanuts can be difficult. Reading ingredients and warnings on
product packaging is necessary to avoid this allergen. Foods processed in
facilities that also handle peanuts on the same equipment as other foods are
required to carry such warnings on their labels. Avoiding cross-contamination
with peanuts and peanut products (along with other severe allergens like
shellfish) is a promoted and common practice of which chefs and restaurants
worldwide are becoming aware.
The hygiene hypothesis of allergy states that a lack of early childhood
exposure to infectious agents like germs and parasites could be causing the
increase in food allergies.[42]

Studies comparing age of peanut introduction in Great Britain with

introduction in Israel showed that delaying exposure to peanuts in childhood
can dramatically increase the risk of developing peanut allergies. [43][44]

Peanut allergy has been associated with the use of skin preparations
containing peanut oil among children, but the evidence is not regarded as
conclusive.[45] Peanut allergies have also been associated with family history
and intake of soy products.[45]

Some school districts in the US and elsewhere have banned peanuts or

products containing peanuts.[46][47][48] However, the efficacy of the bans in
reducing allergic reactions is uncertain. A 2015 study in Canada found no
difference in the percentage of accidental exposures occurring in schools
prohibiting peanuts compared to schools allowing them. [49]

Refined peanut oil will not cause allergic reactions in most people with
peanut allergies.[50] However, crude (unrefined) peanut oils have been shown
to contain protein, which may cause allergic reactions. [51] In a
randomized, double-blind crossover study, 60 people with proven peanut
allergy were challenged with both crude peanut oil and refined peanut oil.
The authors concluded, "Crude peanut oil caused allergic reactions in 10% of
allergic subjects studied and should continue to be avoided." They also
stated, "Refined peanut oil does not seem to pose a risk to most people with
peanut allergy." However, they point out that refined peanut oil can still pose
a risk to peanut-allergic individuals if the oil that has previously been used
for cooking foods containing peanuts is reused. [52]

Uses

Nutrition

Peanuts, valencia, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 2,385 kJ
(570 kcal)

Carbohydrates 21 g
 Dietary fiber 9g

Fat 48 g

Saturated 7g

Monounsaturated 24 g

Polyunsaturated 16 g

Protein 25 g

Amino acids

Vitamins and minerals

Other constituents Quantity

Water 4.26 g

Link to full USDA Database entry

†
Percentages estimated
using US recommendations for adults,
[53]
except for potassium, which is
estimated based on expert
recommendation from the National
Academies[54]

Raw Valencia peanuts are 4% water, 48% fat, 25% protein, and
21% carbohydrates (table).

In a reference amount of 100 grams (3.5 oz), peanuts provide 2,385

kilojoules (570 kilocalories) of food energy, supply 9 g (0.32 oz) of dietary
fiber, and are a rich source (defined as more than 20% of the Daily Value,
DV) of several B vitamins, vitamin E, and various dietary minerals, such
as manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. The fats are
mainly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated (83% of total fats when
combined; table source).
Some studies show that regular consumption of peanuts is associated with a
lower specific risk of mortality from certain diseases.[55][13] However, the study
designs do not allow cause and effect to be inferred. According to the
US Food and Drug Administration, "Scientific evidence suggests but does not
prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts (such as peanuts) as part
of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart
disease."[56]

Culinary

See also: List of peanut dishes

This section needs additional citations

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section. Unsourced material may be challenged and
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Whole peanuts

Roasted peanuts as snack food

Dry-roasting peanuts is a common form of preparation. Dry peanuts can be

roasted in the shell or shelled in a home oven if spread out one layer deep in
a pan and baked at a temperature of 177 °C (351 °F) for 15 to 20 min
(shelled) and 20 to 25 min (in shell).

Boiled peanuts are a popular snack in India, China, West Africa, and the
southern United States. In the US South, boiled peanuts are often prepared in
briny water and sold in streetside stands.
A distinction can be drawn between raw and green peanuts. A green peanut
is a term to describe farm-fresh harvested peanuts that have not been
dehydrated. They are available from grocery stores, food distributors, and
farmers markets during the growing season. Raw peanuts are also uncooked
but have been dried/dehydrated and must be rehydrated before boiling
(usually in a bowl full of water overnight). Once rehydrated, the raw peanuts
are ready to be boiled.[57]

Peanut oil

Main article: Peanut oil

Peanut oil

Peanut oil is often used in cooking because it has a mild flavor and a
relatively high smoke point. Due to its high monounsaturated content, it is
considered more healthful than saturated oils and is resistant to rancidity.
The several types of peanut oil include aromatic roasted peanut oil, refined
peanut oil, extra virgin or cold-pressed peanut oil, and peanut extract.
Refined peanut oil is exempt from allergen labeling laws in the US. [58]

A common cooking and salad oil, peanut oil is 46% monounsaturated fats
(primarily oleic acid), 32% polyunsaturated fats (primarily linoleic acid), and
17% saturated fats (primarily palmitic acid) (source in nutrition table).
[59]
Extractable from whole peanuts using a simple water
and centrifugation method, the oil is being considered by NASA's Advanced
Life Support program for future long-duration human space missions.[60]

Peanut butter

Main article: Peanut butter

 Peanut butter

Peanut butter is a food paste or spread made from ground dry

roasted peanuts. It often contains additional ingredients that modify the
taste or texture, such as salt, sweeteners, or emulsifiers. Many companies
have added twists on traditionally plain peanut butter by adding various
flavor varieties, such as chocolate, birthday cake, and cinnamon raisin.
[61]
Peanut butter is served as a spread on bread, toast or crackers, and used
to make sandwiches (notably the peanut butter and jelly sandwich). It is also
used in a number of confections, such as peanut-flavored granola bars or
croissants and other pastries. The United States [62] is a leading exporter of
peanut butter, and itself consumes $800 million of peanut butter annually. [63]

Peanut flour

Main article: Peanut flour

Peanut flour is used in gluten-free cooking.

Peanut proteins

Peanut protein concentrates and isolates are commercially produced from

defatted peanut flour using several methods. Peanut flour concentrates
(about 70% protein) are produced from dehulled kernels by removing most of
the oil and the water-soluble, non-protein components. Hydraulic
pressing, screw pressing, solvent extraction, and pre-pressing followed by
solvent extraction may be used for oil removal, after which protein isolation
and purification are implemented.[64]

Latin America
 Japanese-style peanuts, invented in Mexico

Peanuts are particularly common in Peruvian and Mexican cuisine, both of

which marry indigenous and European ingredients. For instance, in Peru, a
popular traditional dish is picante de cuy,[65] a roasted guinea pig served in a
sauce of ground peanuts (ingredients native to South America) with roasted
onions and garlic (ingredients from European cuisine). Also, in the Peruvian
city of Arequipa, a dish called ocopa consists of a smooth sauce of roasted
peanuts and hot peppers (both native to the region) with roasted onions,
garlic, and oil, poured over meat or potatoes. [66] Another example is
a fricassee combining a similar mixture with sautéed seafood or boiled and
shredded chicken. These dishes are generally known as ajíes, meaning "hot
peppers", such as ají de pollo and ají de mariscos (seafood ajíes may omit
peanuts). In Mexico, it is also used to prepare different traditional dishes,
such as chicken in peanut sauce (encacahuatado), and is used as the main
ingredient for the preparation of other famous dishes such as
red pipián, mole poblano and oaxacan mole negro.[67]

Likewise, during colonial times in Peru, the Spanish used peanuts to replace
nuts unavailable locally but used extensively in Spanish cuisine, such as
almonds and pine nuts, typically ground or as a paste mixed with rice,
meats, and vegetables for dishes like rice pilaf.

Throughout the region, many candies and snacks are made using peanuts. In
Mexico, it is common to find them in different presentations as a snack or
candy: salty, "Japanese" peanuts, praline, enchilados or in the form of a
traditional sweet made with peanuts and honey called palanqueta, and even
as peanut marzipan. There is a similar form of peanut candy in Brazil,
called pé-de-moleque, made with peanuts and molasses, which resembles
the Indian chikki in form.[68]

West Asia

See also: Israeli sweets and snack foods

Crunchy coated peanuts, called kabukim in Hebrew, are a popular snack

in Israel. Kabukim are commonly sold by weight at corner stores where fresh
nuts and seeds are sold, though they are also available packaged. The
coating typically consists of flour, salt, starch, lecithin, and sometimes
sesame seeds. The origin of the name is obscure (it may be derived
from kabuk, which means nutshell or husk in Turkish). An additional variety
of crunchy coated peanuts popular in Israel is "American peanuts". The
coating of this variety is thinner but harder to crack.

Bamba puffs are a popular snack in Israel. Their shape is similar to Cheez
Doodles, but they are made of peanuts and corn.

Southeast Asia

Fried peanuts in the Philippines

Peanuts are also widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine, such as

in Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia, where they are typically made into a
spicy sauce. Peanuts came to Indonesia from the Philippines, where the
legume was derived from Mexico during Spanish colonization. One Philippine
dish using peanuts is kare-kare, a mixture of meat and peanut butter. Apart
from being used in dishes, fried shelled peanuts are a common inexpensive
snack in the Philippines. The peanuts are commonly served plain salted with
garlic chips and variants, including adobo and chili flavors.

Common Indonesian peanut-based dishes include gado-gado, pecel, karedok,

and ketoprak, vegetable salads mixed with peanut sauce, and the peanut-
based sauce, satay.

Indian subcontinent
 Boiled groundnuts (peanuts)

In the Indian subcontinent, peanuts are a light snack, usually roasted and
salted (sometimes with the addition of chilli powder), and often sold roasted
in pods or boiled with salt. They are also made into dessert or sweet snack
of peanut brittle by processing with refined sugar and jaggery. Indian cuisine
uses roasted, crushed peanuts to give a crunchy body to salads; they are
added whole (without pods) to leafy vegetable stews for the same reason.
Another use is peanut oil for cooking. Most Indians use mustard, sunflower,
and peanut oil for cooking. In South India, groundnut chutney is eaten
with dosa and idli as breakfast. Peanuts are also used in sweets and savory
items in South India and also as a flavor in tamarind rice. Kovilpatti is known
for its sweet peanut chikki or peanut brittle, which is also used in savory and
sweet mixtures, such as Bombay mix.

West Africa

Peanuts grow well in southern Mali and adjacent regions of the Ivory
Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal; peanuts are similar in both
agricultural and culinary qualities to the Bambara groundnut native to the
region, and West Africans have adopted the crop as a staple. Peanut sauce,
prepared with onions, garlic, peanut butter/paste, and vegetables such as
carrots, cabbage, and cauliflower, can be vegetarian (the peanuts supplying
ample protein) or prepared with meat, usually chicken.

Peanuts are used in the Malian meat stew maafe. In Ghana, peanut butter is
used for peanut butter soup nkate nkwan.[69] Crushed peanuts may also be
used for peanut candies nkate cake and kuli-kuli, as well as other local foods
such as oto.[69] Peanut butter is an ingredient in Nigeria's "African salad".
Peanut powder is an important ingredient in the spicy coating
for kebabs (Suya) in Nigeria and Ghana.
 Peanut plant

East Africa

Peanuts are a common ingredient of several types of relishes (dishes which

accompany nshima) eaten in Malawi, and in the eastern part of Zambia, and
these dishes are common throughout both countries. Thick peanut butter
sauces are also made in Uganda to serve with rice and other starchy foods.
Groundnut stew, called ebinyebwa in Luganda-speaking areas of Uganda, is
made by boiling ground peanut flour with other ingredients, such
as cabbage, mushrooms, dried fish, meat or other vegetables.[70] Across East
Africa, roasted peanuts, often in cones of newspaper, are obtained
from street vendors.

North America

Fried curry peanuts

The state of Georgia leads the US in peanut production, with 49 percent of

the nation's peanut acreage and output. In 2014, farmers cultivated 591,000
acres of peanuts, yielding of 2.4 billion pounds. The most famous peanut
farmer was Jimmy Carter of Sumter County, Georgia, who became US
president in 1976.[71]

In the US and Canada, peanuts are used in candies, cakes, cookies, and
other sweets. Individually, they are eaten dry-roasted with or without salt.
Ninety-five percent of Canadians eat peanuts or peanut butter, with the
average consumption of 3 kilograms (6+1⁄2 lb) of peanuts per person
annually, and 79% of Canadians consume peanut butter weekly. [72] In the
United States, peanuts and peanut butter are central to American dietary
practices, and are typically considered as comfort foods.[73] Peanuts were sold
at fairs or by pushcart operators through the 19th century. [74] Peanut butter is
a common peanut-based food, representing half of the American total peanut
consumption and $850 million in annual retail sales. [75] Peanut soup is found
on restaurant menus in the southeastern states. [76] In some southern portions
of the US, peanuts are boiled for several hours until soft and moist.
[77]
Peanuts are also deep-fried, sometimes within the shell. Per person,
Americans eat 2.7 kg (6 lb) of peanut products annually, spending a total of
$2 billion in peanut retail purchases.[75]

Manufacturing

Industrial

Peanuts have a variety of industrial end uses. Paint, varnish, lubricating oil,
leather dressings, furniture polish, insecticides, and nitroglycerin are made
from peanut oil. Soap is made from saponified oil, and many cosmetics
contain peanut oil and its derivatives. The protein portion is used in the
manufacture of some textile fibers. Peanut shells are used in the
manufacture of plastic, wallboard, abrasives, fuel, cellulose (used
in rayon and paper), and mucilage (glue).

Malnutrition

With their high protein concentration, peanuts are used to help reduce or
prevent malnutrition. Plumpy Nut, MANA Nutrition,[78][79] and Medika
Mamba[80] are high-protein, high-energy, and high-nutrient peanut-based
pastes developed to be used as a therapeutic food to aid in famine relief.
The World Health Organization, UNICEF, Project Peanut Butter, and Doctors
Without Borders have used these products to help save malnourished
children in developing countries.

Peanuts can be used like other legumes and grains to make a lactose-
free, milk-like beverage, peanut milk, which is promoted in Africa as a way to
reduce malnutrition among children.

Animal feed

See also: Peanut pie (byproduct)

Peanut plant tops and crop residues can be used for silage.[81]
The protein cake (oilcake meal) residue from oil processing is used as animal
feed and soil fertilizer. Groundnut cake is a livestock feed, mostly used by
cattle as protein supplements.[82] It is one of the most important and valuable
feeds for all types of livestock and one of the most active ingredients for
poultry rations.[83] Poor storage of the cake may sometimes result in its
contamination by aflatoxin, a naturally occurring mycotoxin that is produced
by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus.[84] The major constituents of
the cake are essential amino acids such as lysine and glutamine. Other
components are crude fiber, crude protein, and fat. [citation needed]

Some peanuts can also be fed whole to livestock, for example, those over
the peanut quota in the US or those with a higher aflatoxin content than that
permitted by the food regulations.[85]

Peanut processing often requires dehulling: the hulls generated in large

amounts by the peanut industries can feed livestock, particularly ruminants.
[86]

Gallery

Roasted Peanuts with shell

A warning sign for the presence of peanuts and peanut dust

 

Arachis hypogaea flower

Peanut pegs penetrating the ground

Textural detail


Developing pods of peanut

Track-type peanut harvester

Harvesting peanuts by hand (Haiti, 2012)

A bowl of sev mamra, consisting of puffed rice, peanuts and fried seasoned
noodles
 

Peanut sweet known as chikki made from peanuts and jaggery

See also

 Food portal

 Aflatoxin

 African Groundnut Council

 BBCH-scale (peanut)

 Beer Nuts

 Columbian exchange

 Cracker nuts

 Ground nut soup

 List of peanut dishes

 List of edible seeds

 Peanut pie

 Power snack

 Tanganyika groundnut scheme, a failure started in 1951

 Universal Nut Sheller

Notes

1. One of the original names, along with ground pea

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Further reading

 Beasley, John (2019). "Peanuts". New Georgia Encyclopedia; 49% of

the American peanut crop is grown in the state of Georgia.

 Cumo, Christopher, ed. (2015). Foods That Changed History: How

Foods Shaped Civilization from the Ancient World to the Present. Facts
on File.
  Hammons, R. O. (1994). "The origin and history of the groundnut"
in The groundnut crop: a scientific basis for improvement. Springer
Netherlands. pp. 24–42.

 Hughes, Meredith Sayles (1999). Spill the Beans and Pass the Peanuts:
Legumes. Lerner.

 Johnson, Sylvia A. (1997). Tomatoes, Potatoes, Corn, and Beans: How

the Foods of the Americas Changed Eating around the World.
Atheneum Books.

 Krampner, Jon (2013). Creamy and Crunchy: An Informal History of

Peanut Butter, the All-American Food. Columbia University Press.

 Singh, B., and U. Singh (1991). "Peanut as a Source of Protein for

Human Foods". Plant Foods for Human Nutrition 41:165–177.

 Skolnick, Helen S., et al. (2001). "The Natural History of Peanut

Allergy". Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 107.2:367–374.

 Smith, Andrew F. (2002). Peanuts: The Illustrious History of the Goober

Pea. University of Illinois Press.

 Smart, J. (1994). The Groundnut Crop: A Scientific Basis for

Improvement. Chapman and Hall.

 United States Bureau of Agricultural Economics (1947). Peanuts in

Southern Agriculture.

 Variath, Murali T., and P. Janila (2017). "Economic and Academic

Importance of Peanut". The Peanut Genome pp. 7–26.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arachis hypogaea.

 Peanut at the Wikibooks Cookbook subproject

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Nuts

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Taxon identifiers

Arachis  Wikidata: Q37383

hypogaea
 Wikispecies: Arachis hypogaea

 AoFP: 1317
 APA: 1881

 APDB: 63199

 APNI: 98201

 CoL: G2TD

 Ecocrop: 2199

 EoL: 641309

 EPPO: ARHHY

 EUNIS: 170730

 FNA: 200011891

 FoC: 200011891

 GBIF: 5353770

 GRIN: 3785

 iNaturalist: 63205

 IPNI: 474933-1

 IRMNG: 10729017

 ITIS: 26463

 MoBotPF: 280415

 NatureServe: 2.151632

 NBN: NBNSYS0000014622

 NCBI: 3818

 NZOR: 79a9dfbf-9a56-4ede-9550-3ca900b535cb

 NZPCN: 4917

 Observation.org: 128689

 Open Tree of Life: 39541

 PfaF: Arachis hypogaea

 PFI: 2794
  Plant List: ild-2050

 PLANTS: ARHY

 POWO: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:318562-2

 RHS: 156042

 SANBI: 323-2

 Tropicos: 13024813

 WFO: wfo-0000174378

Authority control databases

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Categories:

 Peanuts

 Arachis

 Convenience foods

 Crops originating from indigenous Americans

 Crops originating from South America

 Crops

 Edible legumes

 Edible nuts and seeds

 Nitrogen-fixing crops

 Oil seeds

 Plants described in 1753

 Snack foods

 Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

 This page was last edited on 9 September 2025, at 17:27 (UTC).

 Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike

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