Peanuts: Earth’s Shelled Wonders

AstronautAlan Shepard, commander of Apollo 14, took a peanut from a restaurant with him to the moon in January 1971, then brought it back as a gift for the restaurant owner. Peanuts do much more than go to the moon: They are a versatile food, consumed as snack nuts, peanut butter, ingredients in confectionery and baked goods, cooking oil, and a nutrient-dense food with essential nutrients, vitamins, and bioactive compounds that can deliver important health benefits, from improving circulation to…