Peanuts!

A week ago, I was asked what my favorite nut was, and responded that it was peanuts. The asker was surprised, on the grounds that while peanuts were a fine nut they were somewhat... generic. Would I genuinely prefer the humble peanut to the delectable cashew or the zesty pistachio? Truthfully, no. I have always loved the flavor of cashews¹ more than peanuts, but peanuts are a wonder of nature. They grow like a legume, but have the caloric density and crunchiness of a nut.

Peanuts use far less water than their treeborne cousins:

 They are also more land efficient. According to some UN Data on global yields, peanuts use four times less land than cashews for the same volume of crops. This leads to peanuts being much cheaper than their woody brethren. Peanuts also naturally fix nitrogen, which means they decrease the need for fertilizers.

Personally, while cashews and pistachios are rare but tasty treats, peanuts are a staple of my diet. Peanut butter sandwiches combined with either jelly or bananas provide healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats, protein, and many vitamins and minerals necessary for life. All hail the peanut.

1. With the notable exception of a three month period after I vomited up Cashews due to a stomach bug.