Americans love to eat peanut butter， but what is it? It is a thick，creamy paste．美国人喜欢吃花生酱，但花生酱是什么呢？它是一种厚厚的、奶油色的糊状物。
You buy it in a jar at the grocery store． Manufacturers roast peanuts and take off the skin． Then they grind them into a thick paste — that's peanut butter! 你可以在杂货店一罐一罐地买。生产商把花生烘干、去皮，然后把花生磨碎成厚厚的糊状物。这就是花生酱！
The peanut is not really a nut， but a pea． It is a strange pea because it grows underground． But peanut plants also have green vines with yellow flowers．花生其实不是坚果，而是一种豆类。它很奇特是因为它长在地底下，但是花生的植株上也有绿色的藤蔓和黄色的花。
These vines or stems grow above the ground and are quite long． Peanuts are very healthy for you．这些长长的藤蔓或茎长在地上。花生对健康很有好处。
They have more protein than a steak and they have many vitamins， too．它比一块牛排含有的蛋白质还多，而且还含有多种维他命。
The peanut comes from South America， but peanut butter is a food that is truly “American．” 花生是从南美洲引进的，但是花生酱却是正宗的美国食品。
Peanut butter started in 1890 in St． Louis． A doctor made some peanut butter． He gave it to patients who could not eat regular food．1890年花生酱起源于圣路易斯。一个医生做了一些花生酱，把它给了一位不能正常饮食的病人。
Later， peanut butter was popular as a healthy food．后来，花生酱成为了受欢迎的健康食品。
Peanut butter is very popular with children in the United States． Perhaps their favourite way to eat it is in a sandwich．花生酱很受美国孩子的欢迎。他们最喜欢的吃法就是把花生酱夹在三明治里。
Many children add jelly to their peanut butter sandwiches． This makes a favourite snack or lunchtime meal． 许多孩子还在他们的花生酱三明治里加些果酱。这是人们最喜欢的小吃或午餐。
