The internet is full of fabulous facts about everything from current events to the history basket weaving. Because of this, as we research for our daily content on food trucks, food carts and street food, we stumble upon some items of knowledge that we just did not know. We have decided when these fun facts pop up, that we would share them with our readers in our section titled “Did You Know?”

For today’s Did You Know fun food facts we will look at Peanuts.

The Facts: Peanuts are not actually a nut. The peanut is a part of the legume family because of its edible pod, or shell, and seeds, or peanuts, within the shell. The peanut is actually closer related to a bean or a pea than it is to an actual nut.

• It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.
• There are four types of peanuts grown in the USA — Runner, Virginia, Spanish and Valencia.
• The average American consumes more than six pounds of peanuts and peanut butter products each year.
• Peanuts contribute more than $4 billion to the USA economy each year.
• September 13th is National peanut Day.
• There are enough peanuts in one acre to make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.
• Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the USA – Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter.
• Grand Saline, TX holds the title for the world’s largest peanut butter and jelly sandwich weighing in at 1,342 pounds. Grand Saline outweighed Oklahoma City’s 900 pounds peanut butter and jelly sandwich in November 2010. Oklahoma City, OK had been the reigning champ since September 7, 2002.
• Astronaut Allen B. Sheppard brought a peanut with him to the moon.
• Tom Miller pushed a peanut to the top of Pike’s Peak (14,100 feet) using his nose in 4 days, 23 hours, 47 minutes and 3 seconds.
• Adrian Finch of Australia holds the Guinness World Record for peanut throwing, launching the lovable legume 111 feet and 10 inches in 1999 to claim the record.
• As early as 1500 B.C., the Incans of Peru used peanuts as sacrificial offerings and entombed them with their mummies to aid in the spirit life.
• Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of getting peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth.
• Ever wonder where the term “Peanut Gallery” comes from? The term became popular in the late 19th century and referred to the rear or uppermost seats in a theater, which were also the cheapest seats. People seated in such a gallery were able to throw peanuts, a common food at theaters, at those seated below them. It also applied to the first row of seats in a movie theater, for the occupants of those seats could throw peanuts at the stage, stating their displeasure with the performance.