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Discover the Nutty World: Top 11 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Peanut Butter!

illustration of peanut-butter
Ready to spread a little joy and knowledge? Let's delve into the nutty world of peanut butter and uncover some fascinating and scrumptious fun facts!

1. Lifesaving Peanut Butter

Here's a nutty fact – peanut butter can moonlight as a lifesaver when it's not busy sticking to the roof of your mouth: This gooey delight, hailing from the humble peanut, not only serves as an affordable source of protein and fiber, but also holds powers to lower the risk of heart disease, rivaling fancier tree nut brethren like walnuts and almonds!
Source => health.harvard.edu

2. Elvis's Nutty Obsession

Prepare to be all shook up with this rock 'n' roll indulgence: Elvis Presley's midnight snack obsession was the legendary "Fool's Gold Loaf" – a gut-busting concoction of peanut butter, banana, and bacon stuffed into a hollowed-out French loaf, fried to crispy perfection, and served up at Denver's Colorado Gold Mine Company, whose recipe was so cherished by The King that he bought it outright for his personal cook to whip up regularly.
Source => seriouseats.com

3. Peanut Butter Phobia

Fear not the stickiness, oh peanut butter lover: arachibutyrophobia – the fear of peanut butter getting stuck to the roof of your mouth – can be triggered by a peanut allergy or childhood trauma and may cause sweating and nausea, but is easily treatable through cognitive behaviour therapy.
Source => m.timesofindia.com

4. Nut Allergies: A Legal Matter

Did you hear the one about the peanut who walked into an airline cabin? It had everybody nuts: In the U.S., peanut allergies can be considered a disability, requiring airlines, schools, and other institutions to provide reasonable accommodations under federal discrimination laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Source => law.uh.edu

Peanut Butter's Fancy Beginnings

5. Peanut Butter's Fancy Beginnings

Before the famed PB&J conquered lunch boxes and Elvis Presley's famous affinity for peanut butter & banana sandwiches, peanut butter had its humble beginnings as an appetizer to help old folks get through their meals: Dr. Ambrose Straub created a peanut paste for geriatric patients with trouble swallowing or bad teeth, while simultaneously, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg patented a process for making peanut butter. First showcased at the 1893 Chicago World Fair, peanut butter was once served as a gourmet treat in upscale New York City tea rooms, paired with watercress, pimentos, or as tea-time dainties with soda crackers.
Source => nationalpeanutboard.org

6. Ghana's Nutty Alternative

Move over PB&J, there's a new nutty treat that's taking Ghana by storm, and it won't leave you wondering "where's the bread?": Nkate cake, a delightful little crunch-fest made with groundnuts and granulated sugar, does away with the gooey paste and takes on a rigid rectangular form, masterfully sliced into classy diagonals for that extra touch of style.
Source => gingerandseasalt.com

7. Mr. Peanut's British Persona

Breaking nutty news – Mr. Peanut is secretly British, wearing monocles and top hats before they were cool: Meet Bartholomew Richard Fitzgerald-Smythe, the legendary spokes-nut gracing Planters packaging and advertisements since the 1930s, delighting generations as an animated and stop-motion character in TV commercials.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Peanut Butter: The Sticky Situation Solver

Next time you're in a sticky situation resembling a hairy thriller, remember to whip out your secret weapon – the humble jar of peanut butter: It turns out that peanut butter's hydrophobic properties will dramatically reduce gum's stickiness, making it a breeze to remove from hair, although you could also opt for alternatives like oils, ice cubes, or vinegar.
Source => healthline.com

9. George Washington Carver's Nutty Innovations

Before George Washington Carver started living his "Nutty Professor" dream, the humble peanut was just waiting for its big break in the American diet: What followed was a slew of over 300 peanut innovations (think chili sauce, shampoo, and even glue), paving the way for peanut butter pioneers like Marcellus Gilmore Edson, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg, and Dr. Ambrose Straub, establishing the gooey delight that now graces 94 percent of American households.
Source => nationalpeanutboard.org

Reese's Chocolate & Peanut-Buttery Legacy

10. Reese's Chocolate & Peanut-Buttery Legacy

In a nutty twist of confectionery fate, H.B. Reese, a humble Hershey loyalist, set out to create a chocolatey-peanut miracle amid the roaring '20s: Reese, mastermind behind the now-infamous Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, crafted a bestselling sensation in 1928 with Hershey's divine chocolate coating enveloping his delectable peanut butter creation. As their sweet legacy lived on, Reese's sons carried the peanut-buttery torch until 1963, when they handed the reins back to The Hershey Company, ensuring the eternal union of chocolate and peanut butter in this beloved treat.
Source => hersheyland.com

11. Peanuts: The Undercover Legumes

Here's something to spread on your brain toast: peanuts aren't nuts, they're incognito legumes running an undercover operation right under our noses, next to their cousin agents – the black-eyed peas! The serious reveal: peanuts have been used for thousands of years in South America and gained fame in the U.S. thanks to Thomas Jefferson, while George Washington Carver established over 300 uses for them, and today, they boast a higher protein percentage than eggs, milk, meat, or fish in the aptly nicknamed Peanut State of Georgia.
Source => jimmycarter.info

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