5 Interesting Peanut Butter Facts
I frequently wear a T-shirt that gallantly proclaims “I put peanut butter on my peanut butter.” Yes, I’m one of those people who proudly don novelty tees and yes, it’s true. My taste palette is overjoyed with the addition of peanut butter to almost anything–chocolate, marshmallow, celery, almost any type of fruit (bananas, apples, grapes), and, of course, jelly.
I, of course, am not alone. Peanut butter is an inherently tasty treat, but it is also quite interesting.
5: A Peanut is Not a Peanut
It’s what goes into making this delicious spread but, if you’ve seen one peanut, you’ve seen them all–a peanut, is a peanut, is a peanut, right? Not so. There are four main types of peanuts grown in the U.S.–Runner, Virginia, Spanish, and Valencia–with different characteristics that make them useful in different applications. Runner and Spanish peanuts are those most frequently used for peanut butter, especially the Spanish which have a high oil content.
4: A Horse is a Horse, of Course, of Course
It is widely believed that Bamboo Harvester, the famous horse who played Mr. Ed on the classic 60′s sitcom of the same name, was prompted to move his lips for the “talking scenes” by the crew applying peanut butter to his gums. This in itself may be news to you, but get ready for a double whammy–it was revealed in a 2004 interview that this is a story cooked up by the show’s other star (this one human), Alan Young. Myth busted. The producers actually made his mouth move by doing something far more inhumane, say many sitcom investigators.
3: Spiders Are Nothing
Little Miss Muffet doesn’t like spiders, and there are many out there who share her distaste. Arachnophobia is man and woman’s most common fear, but here’s another one for you: arachibutyrophobia, the fear of peanut butter getting stuck to the roof of one’s mouth. Perhaps I’m an outlier, but I follow the school of thought that the stickier it is, the more fulfilling.
2: I Think We Need a Bigger Plate
While I love peanut butter as much as the next guy, I submit that 350 lbs. is a bit much for a single sandwich. In 2002, however, Oklahoma City failed to agree when the Oklahoma Peanut Commission and the Oklahoma Wheat Commission joined forces to create a 900 lb. peanut butter and jelly sandwich. With 501 lbs. of bread, 144 lbs. of jelly and yes, 350 lbs. of peanut butter, this sandwich would be just enough to satiate a city full of the most ardent peanut butter lovers.
1: A Fruity Spread
If someone were to ask you what food group peanuts fell into, what would you say? This may be a statement of the obvious to some of you, but it will come as an earth-shattering revelation to others; peanuts are, in fact, a fruit. Peanuts are legumes, which are fruits themselves because they produce fruit encased in a pod. So yes, when you put your peanut butter on a banana or mix it with some jelly, you are indeed being deliciously redundant.
Ethan Gibble is a content specialist and blogger for restaurant supply company, the WEBstaurant Store. He researches and writes about issues facing the restaurant industry on a local, national, and global scale.
By Ethan Gibble
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How can you claim that something is not what it is, that an item and it’s negation are one and the same? I find this proposition absurd. You do not support this argument at all and use it as the basis for your entire SHITTY article. What the fuck is this shit? Why should I listen to this guy? Because he went to PENN STATE!? Oooooh, so you have a diploma? You’re just a piece of shit, let me tell you what!
I bet that horse would kick your ass.