Peanut Sustainability 101 by pblovers Peanuts and peanut butter are a delicious addition to many dishes. Did you know they are also sustainable ingredients that you can feel good about eating? Here are just a few reasons why America’s most popular nut is good for our planet, our health and communities everywhere: Peanuts are nature’s zero-waste plant. Everything from the roots to the hulls are utilized. Peanuts require less water and have the smallest carbon footprint of any nut. While tree nuts such as almonds and cashews need consistent water, peanuts adjust their growing cycle based on available water. Peanut plants have a unique ability to improve soil. They are nitrogen fixing, which means they take nitrogen from the air and produce their own in the ground which benefits other crops. The peanut industry is constantly looking for ways to improve sustainability. Thanks to better farming practices, it takes less than half the amount of land to grow a pound of peanuts today than it did just 30 years ago. Peanuts fight hunger in communities of need every day – here and around the globe. Because peanut butter is an economical source of protein that doesn’t require refrigeration it is one of the most requested items by U.S. food banks. In developing countries, peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) are saving malnourished children. They are often the first food given because of the nutrition they offer, but also because they are portable and have a taste people around the globe love.