are peanuts nuts?? my cousin says they aren't
2007-01-07 10:03:40 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
actually they are legumes (nuts are grown in trees, peanuts are grown underground)
Although a nut in the culinary sense, in the botanical sense the fruit of the peanut is a woody, indehiscent legume or pod and not technically a nut.
The peanut, or groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the legume family Fabaceae native to South America. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing to 30 to 50 cm (1 to 1 1/2 feet) tall. The leaves are opposite, pinnate with four leaflets (two opposite pairs; no terminal leaflet), each leaflet 1 to 7 cm (1/3 to 2.75 inches) long and 1 to 3 cm (1/3 to 1 inch) broad. The flowers are a typical peaflower in shape, 2 to 4 cm (3/4 to one and a half inches) across, yellow with reddish veining. After pollination, the fruit develops into a legume 3 to 7 cm (1 to 2 inches) long containing 1 to 3 (rarely 4) seeds, which forces its way underground to mature.
Peanuts are also known as earthnuts, goobers, goober peas, pindas, jack nuts, pinders, manila nuts and monkey nuts (the last of these is often used to mean the entire pod, not just the seeds).
2007-01-07 10:07:47 · answer #1 · answered by AlwaysOverPack 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your cousin is Right in fact peanuts are not a nut at all
2007-01-07 10:11:18 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your cousin is correct. Peanuts are legumes.
"Peanuts, along with beans and peas, belong to the single plant family, Leguminosae. Legumes are edible seeds enclosed in pods. As a group, they provide the best source of concentrated protein in the plant kingdom. While their physical structure and nutritional benefits more closely resemble that of other legumes, their use in diets and cuisines more closely resembles that of nuts." ~ http://www.peanut-institute.org/PeanutFAQs.html
Hope that you didn't bet on that!
2007-01-07 10:11:22 · answer #3 · answered by goicuon 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your cousin is absolutely right. Peanuts are legumes which are of the "bean" family. But did you also know peanuts do not digest in your system?
2007-01-07 10:09:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
PEANUTS.....
Peanuts, which are legumes, provide more protein then any other nut. They also supply good amounts of fiber, vitamin E, and B vitamins, notably folate.
2007-01-07 20:14:20 · answer #5 · answered by W0615 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are indeed nuts
2007-01-07 11:50:48 · answer #6 · answered by pinkfloydchickcs82 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they are not nuts. they are legumes....like lentils and beans
2007-01-07 10:07:54 · answer #7 · answered by brianne_marcusmaggiore 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
why do u think they are called peaNUTS? ♥
2007-01-07 10:08:47 · answer #8 · answered by ♥♥cheer♥♥ 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋