Who doesn’t love peanut butter? That’s why it’s one of the most popular foods in America. But did you know there are many unique uses for this delicious spread beyond just eating it straight from the jar? Peanut butter can be used in all sorts of recipes, as a natural beauty product, and even to clean your house! Keep reading to find out some of the best unique uses for peanut butter.
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How Is Peanut Butter Made?
For people who love the classic combination of smooth, creamy peanut butter and jelly, it’s hard to imagine how peanut butter is made. In its simplest form, making peanut butter involves three general steps: harvesting, roasting, and grinding. The harvesting process introduces peanuts to a mechanical grab that scoops them up and typically drops them into a hopper that transports them through the processing plant.
After they’re harvested, peanuts are roasted and cooled before being transferred to a different part of the facility, where they’re ground up to create spreadable peanut butter. This process often involves roasting and separating peanuts from their shells while removing some moisture from the nuts. Finally, ingredients like salt, sugar, and even hydrogenated oil are added to give peanut butter its iconic taste and texture.
Unique Uses for Peanut Butter
Natural Lubricant
While a spoonful of peanut butter might typically land itself in your sandwich or on toast, it may be surprising for some to find out that it also has a variety of unique and practical uses. One of these is a natural lubricant due to its high-fat content. Peanut butter is non-toxic, inexpensive, and easy to apply, making it an obvious choice when lubricating surfaces such as door holders and drawer runners, as well as rubber applications like gaskets, valves, and O-rings.
Its effectiveness arises from the fact that it contains loads of good nutrients, which aid in creating a better-sliding surface than plastic equivalents. Not only is this beneficial in reducing scratching or scuffing on surfaces, but its moisture control properties also prevent the introduction of additional contaminants. With so many advantages up its sleeves, maybe taking another look at what lies in your pantry is long overdue!
Shaving Cream
Peanut butter can be a great addition to your arsenal of grooming tools! Contrary to popular belief, peanut butter can be an effective shaving cream; the fat content in peanut butter creates a slick surface, allowing for a closer shave. The natural oils in the butter are also believed to hydrate and nourish the skin before and after razors have been used.
Applying a thin layer of natural, creamy peanut butter onto clean skin while shaving is easy to get smooth, moisturized skin without adding chemicals or irritants. Investing in some natural peanut butter and taking the time to experiment with this unique method could be just what you need to improve your shaving experience.
