Encyclopedia Of Foods

High-Protein Foods 331how they are used and because of their nutlikeshells. The “shells,” however, are actuallythe fibrous seed pods of a legume,encasing one to three seeds wrapped in anedible, papery thin seed coat. These seedpods are easy to crack and range from lessthan an inch to about 2 inches long andhave the same contours as the round seedsunderneath.Peanut plants are separated into eitherbunch or runner types. The bunch typebears seed pods close to the base of theplant, whereas the runner type has seedpods scattered along the branches. Runnertypes were introduced in the 1970s and arenow more popular than bunch types, probablybecause runner peanuts are primarilyused to make peanut butter, for which halfof all peanuts are produced.Spanish peanuts — a bunch-typepeanut with small, round seeds covered bya reddish brown skin — are usually roasted,salted, and vacuum-packed. Virginiapeanuts, which can be a runner or a bunchplant, are larger and more oval and are usuallysold roasted in the shell.Peanuts contain quite a bit of fat, but thefat in them is primarily monounsaturatedfat. Peanuts are an excellent source of magnesium,phosphorus, zinc, copper, niacin,and folate and a good source of iron.George Washington Carver, an African-American botanist who worked in the late19th century, is well known as the “Fatherof the Peanut Industry” for having ingeniouslydeveloped more than 300 uses forthe peanut, including as an ingredient inshoe polish, soap, bleach, medicine, ink,paint, and ice cream. In 1890, an Americanphysician invented what we now know aspeanut butter to provide an easily digestible,nutritious food for his elderly patients.However, long before this, other culturesmade similar edible paste from peanuts.Preparation TipsPeanuts are available in a variety of forms,including raw, dry-roasted or honeyroasted,salted or unsalted, shelled orunshelled, peeled or unpeeled, whole orchopped, and as peanut butter. Theyoung pods, leaves, and plant tips can becooked and eaten in the same manner asa green vegetable. Unshelled peanuts canbe refrigerated in an airtight container forup to 6 months, and shelled peanuts forup to 3 months. Peanuts also can becooked, a process that generally takesabout 30 minutes.Serving SuggestionsAlthough peanuts are usually consumed asa snack, turned into peanut butter, or usedto make candy or baked goods in theUnited States, they are frequently used asPeanut butter — not just for sandwichesPeanutsa vegetable in African, Indian, SouthAmerican, and Asian cooking. Peanuts canbe cooked with fish, meat, and poultry andused to flavor sauces, soups, salads, anddesserts. Peanut soup, a southern U.S.favorite, is a creamy, spicy-hot dish.