Fun Peanut Butter Facts To Celebrate National Peanut Butter Day 2021 With

Whether it's spread on toast, baked in a cookie or simply scooped straight from the jar, peanut butter is certainly one of America's favorites. On National Peanut Butter Day, celebrate by eating your favorite peanut butter and enjoying some fun peanut butter facts.

It was in 1884 when peanut butter was patented by Canadian chemist Marcellus Gilmore Edson, although rumor has it that New Yorker Rose Davis already started making peanut butter as early as the 1840s, National Today said. However, there is also evidence that ancient South American Incas were the first ones to actually grind peanuts to make a paste, the National Peanut Board explained.

Wherever peanut butter truly came from, what's clear is that Americans have embraced the nutty flavor and learned to enjoy it in many different ways.

This Jan. 24, which marks National Peanut Butter Day 2021, fix a peanut butter sandwich and have a look at some fun peanut butter facts, courtesy of National Today, the National Peanut Board and There Is A Day For That (OfficeHolidays):

Americans Eat A Lot Of Peanut Butter

Peanut butter certainly is one of America's favorites, as an average American child tends to eat 1,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until they graduate from high school, OfficeHoliday said. And this relationship with peanut butter persists as they reach adulthood.

According to the National Peanut Board, an average person consumes about 3,000 PB&Js in their lifetime, with a typical adult eating one at least thrice a month. In fact, Americans love peanut butter so much that the amount of peanut butter they consume each year can coat the floor of the Grand Canyon, the organization said.

Peanut Cities

In the U.S., there are several cities that have the name "Peanut" in it, the National Peanut Board noted. Three of them are just in Pennsylvania. These are Lower Peanut, Upper Peanut and Peanut in Pennsylvania.

Smooth, Chunky Or Crunchy?

National Today surveyed 1,000 Americans on their peanut butter preferences and found that 72% of people preferred smooth peanut butter over the chunky variety and that men are more likely than women to choose chunky peanut butter.

But there may also be differences in peanut butter preferences among the regions, as the National Peanut Board noted that those on the East Coast tend to choose creamy peanut butter while those on the West Coast typically go for the crunchy variety.

Peanut Butter Law

Every 12-ounce peanut butter jar is comprised of about 540 peanuts, the National Peanut Board noted. According to the law, products that are labeled as "peanut butter" in the U.S. have to be composed of at least 90% peanuts.

Peanut Butter For Toothless People

Whether chunky or smooth, peanut butter is relatively easy to eat. In fact, the National Peanut Board said that a version of it was originally made for people with no teeth.

Specifically, it is believed that a St. Louis physician developed a version of peanut butter for the older patients who found it difficult to chew meat. This way, the patients could still get their protein needs.

Peanut Butter Fear

There are people who are actually afraid of peanut butter, OfficeHoliday explained. More specifically, those with arachibutyrophobia are afraid of having peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouth.

This phobia is rare, Healthline explained, noting that the people who have it may experience symptoms such as having a strong "fight-or-flight" response when peanut butter is served or is nearby and experiencing anxiety over the possibility of being exposed to peanut butter.

Jif Love

What's your favorite peanut butter brand?

According to the National Today survey, Americans' favorite peanut butter brand is actually Jif, with 42.10% of respondents preferring the brand. Skippy comes second place, followed by Peter Pan and Smucker's Peanut Butter.

Peanut Butter Is Earth-Friendly

Choosing a PB&J sandwich over red meat can lessen a person's carbon footprint by about 3.5 pounds of greenhouse gases, National Today said, noting that each sandwich also saves water and land-use.

So the next time you choose to eat a peanut butter sandwich, think of it as one of the delicious ways you can help save the planet. And what better time to indulge one's peanut butter cravings than on National Peanut Butter Day?