Is the peanut a nut like the walnut is a nut ?

 

The peanut is not really a nut but is a pod and belongs to the pea and bean family. The peanut is like a bean pod in the sense that it contains two beans. The peanut like the pod, contains seeds and is classified as a fruit but the peanut fruit is special because it grows under the ground.

                                                                      

Where did peanuts originate?    

      It is believed that peanuts originally grew in South America and have been around for over 3000 years. Tombs in Peru revealed mummies buried with peanuts as offerings in the grave and some even had jars with peanut designs sculptured on them. The little peanut globetrotters went all around the world, as explorers took peanuts from South America to Europe, Asia and Africa. The peanuts later traveled with the African slaves who introduced them to the United States. Only in the late 19th century was the peanut valued as a food crop. Today, some major peanut producers are countries such as India, China, Nigeria, United States and Indonesia.

What is the fish-like structure that you see when you split open a peanut ?

    The little fish-like structure that you see in one of the peanut halves is the embryo or the baby peanut plant. Each half of the peanut is like a storage of food for the baby peanut plant. With proper conditions the fish-like baby plant will grow and the part that first comes out is the root and then the side roots. The peanut splits into halves as the stem and leaves of the baby plant grow. The leaves slowly grow above the ground and  becomes a peanut plant that grows and grows from being a baby peanut plant to be a big peanut plant.

   

Who was the famous American scientist who discovered over 300 uses for peanuts?

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The American scientist George Washington Carver’s discoveries and research in the early 1900’s helped establish the peanut industry by his findings of the various ways the peanut could be used. The peanut being a very resourceful little crop, was found to contain 28% protein, 50% oil, 18% carbohydrate and 4% ash. Apart from peanut butter, Carver found over 300 various other peanut products and to name just a few, bleach, shampoo, grease, linoleum and even yummy ice cream. George Washington Carver was born in 1864 and died in 1943.

  

 

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