The peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is a species in the legume family Fabaceae. It is an annual herbaceous plant. The edible seeds of this plant are called peanuts. Peanuts are native to South America and the natural center of their origin is considered to be the region between 10 and 28 degrees East of the Cordillera (Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia). They were carried to Europe from Asia; although some sources maintain that peanuts were carried to Europe directly from America by the Portuguese navigators. The Peanuts is a valuable oil plant rich in protein and vitamin B1. The quality of peanut oil is close to that of olive oil, while peanut oil is preferred to sunflower oil in the canning industry. |