We've already revealed the secret that when you buy peanuts, you're not actually buying real nuts, but purely botanical legumes. Fancy even more facts about fresh peanuts? We'll be happy to serve you. According to researchers, peanuts are at least 7,600 years old and originally come from South America.
To this day, they are grown on large plantations in Argentina, Brazil, but also in the USA and Africa, making it possible to buy peanuts worldwide. Peanuts literally like to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to cultivation. As their name suggests, they thrive in the ground - but not right from the start. Initially, the bushy peanut plant grows quite "normally" and reaches a height of 60 cm. It also produces yellow flowers. As soon as these have withered, something miraculous happens: the flower stalk grows downwards into the soil and the peanut kernels are formed from the seeds, which are protected by a shell.
Buying peanuts: from the harvest to your party bowl
At a temperature of 25 to 30 degrees, peanuts need just four to six months to ripen. This can be recognized by the fact that the leaves above the ground take on a slightly yellowish color. The shell should also crack easily and noisily. A field of peanuts is harvested with the help of a machine. After being pulled out, the pulses are allowed to dry in the sun for a few days and are then collected together with their shells. This is followed by another drying phase before they are processed further. At the end of the production process, you can buy the peanuts and enjoy them straight away.
Buying peanuts with valuable ingredients
Buying peanuts is not just an excellent idea because of their taste. The nutrients they contain are also at their best. Peanuts are rich in vegetable protein, good fats and a variety of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, calcium, biotin, copper and folic acid. They are also particularly rich in fiber, which is commonly known to aid digestion and keep you feeling full for longer.