The History of Peanut Butter | OpenRice Singapore

A jar of peanut butter on the kitchen table is a sight that commonly greets most people when they enter their kitchens every morning. It’s definitely an option for those who just love to spread some creamy goodness on their freshly-toasted bread. But, did you know that long before we have our peanut butter today, the peanuts used were made using wild peanuts? Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), which are also known as "groundnuts," originated between southern Bolivia and northern Argentina. In pre-Columbian times, they were found throughout Brazil, Peru, Mexico, and the Caribbean. In the early sixteenth century, European explorers transported them to Asia and Africa. From the beginning, peanuts were ground into paste and used as flavouring for soups, stews, and other dishes. During the slave trade, peanuts were introduced into the British North American colonies. Slaves grew peanuts in their gardens and introduced them into mainstream cookery. By the 1830s, hand-ground peanuts appeared as an ingredient in American recipes. During the nineteenth century in the United States, shelled, roasted peanuts were chopped or pounded into a creamy paste in a cloth bag and eaten fresh. American botanist and inventor George Washington Carver experimented with soybeans, sweet potatoes, and other crops, eventually deriving 300 products from the peanut alone—among the most notable was peanut butter. Originally, the process of peanut butter manufacturing was entirely manual. Until about 1920, the peanut farmer shelled the seed with his fingers. He also cultivated by hand, hoeing the soil about four times and ploughing it with a single furrow plough for the same number of times. The farmer dug the vines with a single row plough, manually stacked the vines in the field for drying, and then hand-picked the nuts or beat them from the vines. A mule, a plough, and two hoes were all that was needed as far as peanut cultivation equipment was concerned. To produce peanut butter, small batches of peanuts were roasted, blanched, and ground as needed for sale or consumption. Salt and/or sugar were added upon request, and the product was eaten fresh. Mechanized cultivation and harvesting increased the yield of the harvest. Milling plants became larger, and consumption soared. The peanut, rich in fat, protein, vitamin B, phosphorus, and iron, has significant food value. A physician in St. Louis, Missouri started manufacturing peanut butter commercially in 1890 as a health food. Peanut butter was recommended for infants and invalids because of its high nutritional value. Peanut butter may protect against a high risk of cardiovascular disease due to high levels of monounsaturated fats and resveratrol; butter prepared with the skin of the peanuts has a greater level of resveratrol and other health-aiding agents. Peanut butter (and peanuts) provides protein, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, folate, dietary fiber, arginine, and high levels of the antioxidant p-coumaric acid. Peanut butter is a blend of ground shelled peanuts, vegetable oil (often hydrogenated) and usually a small amount of salt. Some contain sugar and additives to improve creaminess and prevent the oil from separating. Peanut butter is sold in two forms-smooth or chunky, which contains bits of peanut. Now that we understand the nutritional values of peanut butter, it’s great to learn a few simple recipes which you can prepare at home. Have fun and enjoy! Suggested Peanut Butter Recipes: Peanut Butter Candy Banana Peanut Butter Milkshake Peanut Butter French Toast Can't get enough of peanut butter? Check out more peanut butter dishes here You can enjoy delicious meals while eating healthily. Check out these 10 places to eat clean