Good and Good for You -- Peanuts*

* Unless, of course, you are allergic to them in which case you might dispute their classification here and I would not argue the point.

Oh the Glorious Goober, both friend and foe to many. 

Though it's got nut in the name, the peanut, aka groundnut, is not actually a "true" nut.  True nuts are defined as the hard-shelled fruit of certain plants (sort of a half-seed/half-fruit composite thing that Wikipedia does a much better job of explaining than I ever could).  Peanuts are a legume and associated with the pea family (for a recap of that long-standing debate, check out the Bean v. Legume).

Peanuts originated in South American but today they are grown in practically every subtropical area in the world.  Though China and India are the largest peanut producers, their peanuts are primarily used locally in the form of peanut oil.  The U.S. leads the world in exporting peanuts and most of our peanuts come from Alabama.

Now we know peanuts taste good, but it turns out they are actually very good for you too (unless you're allergic, of course).

Peanuts

* Peanuts are highly nutritious, they contain iron, vitamin E, and some B vitamins.
* They are high in antioxidants (with levels that rival both strawberries and blackberries) which helps protect against heart disease.
* Peanuts are a good source of protein.
* They are also high in monosaturated fats which are have been said to also help protect against heart disease.
* Peanuts contain a good level of tryptophan which is good for mood boosting and linked to brain function (good brain function).

Peanut oil has a high smoking point which makes it really good for frying things at high temperatures because it won't burn them.

Peanuts, shelled or unshelled, can be stored up to two months if kept in a cool, dry place.  They'll keep even longer if you store them in the refrigerator.  Because of their high oil content, peanut don't last long in warm condition and will go rancid.