← Plant Milk Family Tree ← Back to Collection

Peanut Milk

Rare

Limited commercial and household production

A plant-based beverage made by extracting or blending peanuts with water. Although peanuts are commonly called nuts, botanically they are legumes.

About Peanut Milk

Peanut milk is a plant-based beverage made from peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), which despite their name are legumes (members of the bean and pulse family) rather than true tree nuts. Peanuts are native to South America and were cultivated by indigenous peoples for thousands of years before being brought to Africa, Asia, and Europe by traders. Today, China and India are the world's largest peanut producers, and peanuts are among the most widely grown and consumed legumes globally. Peanut milk has a long history in West Africa and parts of Asia as a traditional prepared beverage, and has gained research and commercial attention as a nutritious, affordable plant milk option.

Peanut milk is made by soaking whole peanuts in water, blending them with fresh water, and straining the resulting liquid. The milk has a distinctive, recognisable peanut flavour — mild when the peanuts are raw and blanched, and nuttier and more intense when roasted peanuts are used. The fat content of peanut milk is relatively high (peanuts are approximately 50% fat), giving the milk a creamy body. Commercial peanut milk is available in some markets, particularly in China, where it is a traditional breakfast drink.

Peanut milk is a significant source of protein among plant milks, as peanuts themselves contain approximately 25% protein. It also provides folate, niacin, vitamin E, magnesium, and phosphorus. However, peanut milk is obviously not suitable for people with peanut allergy — one of the most common and potentially severe food allergies worldwide.

Sources & Further Reading

USDA FoodData Central — Peanuts (current search) — Current USDA database search for the named food; select the matching product/data type because formulations and database records can change.

Nutrition

Peanut milk nutritional content varies by recipe. Peanuts are high in protein and fat:

ProteinHigher than most nut milks

FatModerate to high

Niacin (B3)Notable in peanuts

FolateNotable in peanuts

LactoseNone

Allergen warningContains peanuts

Peanut milk is one of the higher-protein plant milks, reflecting peanuts' significant protein content. It provides unsaturated fats, B vitamins, and minerals. It is naturally lactose-free and dairy-free but is unsuitable for anyone with peanut allergy, which can cause severe allergic reactions including anaphylaxis.

Common Uses

◌ Drinking◌ Smoothies◌ Baking◌ Sauces◌ Porridge base

Peanut milk is consumed as a traditional beverage in parts of West Africa and China. In China, homemade peanut milk (花生奶, huāshēng nǎi) is a popular breakfast drink, sometimes sweetened and served warm. In West Africa, it is used in cooking as well as drinking. Its strong flavour makes it particularly suitable for smoothies and sauces where a peanut flavour is welcome, and for porridge where its nuttiness complements oats or millet.

Interesting Facts

Despite being called "nuts," peanuts are legumes — they grow underground in pods, like beans and lentils, rather than on trees like almonds, walnuts, or cashews.
Peanut butter was independently developed in Canada and the United States in the 1880s–1890s and has become one of the world's most widely consumed nut and seed pastes.
China produces approximately 40% of the world's peanuts, with much of the crop consumed domestically — Chinese peanut milk (花生奶) is a traditional home and commercial product with a much longer history in China than in Western markets.
Peanuts are one of the most common food allergens worldwide — peanut allergy affects approximately 1–2% of people in Western countries and can cause life-threatening anaphylaxis.
In some parts of West Africa, fermented peanut milk products have been developed as a sustainable, affordable dairy alternative using locally grown peanuts.