Today is National Peanut Butter Day! This weekend I celebrated in advance and had two PB&J sandwiches; heavy on the peanut butter and the (reduced sugar) jelly. Here are some random facts about peanut butter:
• Americans eat about 700 million pounds of peanut butter each year.
• Women and children prefer creamy, while most men opt for chunky.
• People who become hysterical when peanut butter sticks to the roof of their mouth have 'arachibutyrophobia'.
Other than as a healthy snack or sandwich spread, did you know that peanuts have LOTS of uses? African American scientist, botanist, professor and inventor George Washington Carver is credited with conducting years of research on the peanut.
Carver’s 1916 research, How to Grow the Peanut and 105 Ways of Preparing it for Human Consumption, rescued the South’s economy. In the early 1900’s, boll weevils were destroying the cotton crops in Alabama. Farmers began to plant peanuts as their cash crop. Instead of cotton oil, mills were converted to make peanut oil.
During further research, Carver found more than 300 new uses for the peanut. He invented peanut-based foods, beverages, medicines, household products and cosmetics. Some of his most surprising inventions include laundry detergent, mayonnaise, diesel fuel, glue, rubber, shaving cream and hand lotion.
How do you plan on celebrating Peanut Butter Day?
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