Selects: How Peanut Butter Works

Key takeaways

Peanut butter is an all-American condiment with a complex history involving global cultivation, cultural significance, and technological innovations.
Modern peanut butter was first patented in 1884, with significant developments in the mid-20th century, especially with hydrogenation, which affected texture, shelf life, and health aspects.
Government standards require peanut butter to contain at least 90% peanuts, with distinctions between smooth, crunchy, and natural varieties.
Peanut butter offers nutritional benefits such as vitamins and healthy fats, but processed versions can contain unhealthy trans fats due to hydrogenation.
Recent concerns about peanut allergies and contamination highlight the importance of safety standards and informed consumption.

Summary

Introduction and Personal Anecdotes about Peanut Butter

The episode opens with humorous anecdotes about personal uses of peanut butter, highlighting its versatility and cultural significance. The hosts share their favorite types and ways to eat peanut butter, such as with honey or in unusual combinations like mayonnaise sandwiches. They also discuss personal eating quirks, like cracking peanut M&Ms and eating sunflower seeds with shells, which set a humorous tone for the episode.

Historical Origins of Peanuts and Peanut Butter

The discussion traces the origin of peanuts from South America, dating back over 7,600 years in Peru, through their spread via European explorers and their role in various cultures. Notably, the re-introduction of peanuts to the Americas via Africa due to the slave trade is highlighted, emphasizing the intricate and global journey of peanuts. They cover early cultivation in the U.S., the role of African Americans like George Washington Carver in promoting peanuts as a vital crop, and inventions that modernized peanut farming, such as machinery by Benjamin Hicks.

Evolution and Commercialization of Peanut Butter

The hosts delve into the invention of modern peanut butter, crediting Canadian Marcellus Gilmore Edson with the first patent in 1884, and later innovations by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg that led to the peanut butter we recognize today. They discuss the rise of brands like Peter Pan, Skippy, and Giff, and the impact of hydrogenation technology introduced in the 1950s that changed peanut butter's texture, shelf life, and health profile. The segment also discusses governmental standards for peanut butter, including the mandated 90% peanuts content and definitions of different types like crunchy and smooth.

Health Aspects and Food Safety Considerations

This section addresses the nutritional benefits of natural peanut butter, emphasizing its healthy fats and vitamins, versus processed versions with added sugars and hydrogenated oils. The hosts discuss safety concerns such as peanut allergies, the rise in reported allergies, and contamination risks like aflatoxin from moldy peanuts. They cover historical incidents of foodborne illnesses linked to peanut products and current standards to ensure safety, alongside the health benefits of moderate peanut butter consumption.

Show notes

No food is more all-American than peanut butter – 80 percent of homes in the country have a jar of it in the pantry right now. And while the rest of the world might find peanut butter peculiar, maybe even gross, the rest of the world is wrong. Enjoy a smooth ride through one of our top condiments in this classic episode.

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