ATLANTA — March is National Peanut Month and the National Peanut Board wanted to recap how peanuts were the hero of 2020. Every American consumed an average of 7.6 pounds of peanuts…an all-time high! Of the 7.6 pounds of peanuts, 56% were peanut butter, 20% were peanut snacks, 17% were peanut candy, 6% were in-shell peanuts and 3% were other peanut products. According to a report by J.M. Smucker Co., “In the 52 weeks ending Nov. 1, 2020, peanut butter category consumption was up 7.1%.”
So, what goes into making the beloved jar of peanut butter? By law, any product labeled “peanut butter” in the U.S. must be at least 90% peanuts. Starting at the farm, there are enough peanuts in one acre to make 35,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Now, moving to beyond the field, on average, it takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar and 850 peanuts to make an 18-oz jar of peanut butter. In fact, peanut butter is the leading use of peanuts in the U.S. Peanuts are also healthy. They have the most protein of any other nut with 7g per serving. Peanuts also contain more than 30 essential vitamins and minerals. Peanut butter is also a great value at 3 cents per gram of protein. With peanuts tasting delicious while also being a nutritious option, we at NPB understand why peanuts are so popular.
The average adult eats a PB&J three times a month and will eat almost 3,000 PB&Js in their lifetime. However, there is a difference on how much peanut butter you consume based on where you live. The average European eats less than 1 tbsp of peanut butter in a year, while Americans eat 3 lbs. of peanut butter per person every year. That is enough peanut butter to coat the floor of the Grand Canyon. Peanuts have even been eaten in space, with astronaut Alan Shepherd, bringing a peanut on the International Space Station.
No matter where you eat it, one thing remains the same. People love peanuts and peanut butter. Happy National Peanut Month from your friends at the National Peanut Board.
— National Peanut Board
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