花生又名落花生，长生果，属豆科作物，原产南美热带亚热带地区，15世纪传入我国，在河南省亦有400多年种植历史。
       
    开封县位于黄河故道冲积平原，全县120万亩耕地有一半属沙土和轻沙土，适宜种植花生。建国初期，全县种植25.5万亩，最多的年份达到40.5万亩。后来由于片面强调粮食生产，使花生面积一度萎缩，产量急剧下降。十一届三中全会以来，随着市场经济的发展和农村调整种植结构的需要，种植面积迅速扩大，成为河南省重要的花生基地之一。由于所生产的花生米粒大，色鲜艳，品质好，因而开封花生在国内外市场上享有很高的声誉。 
      
    花生营养丰富，用途广泛，浑身是宝。花生仁含油50％左右，清香浓郁，淡黄透明，纯正可口，是人们喜爱食用的高级植物油，由于它属不干油性、含有亚油酸，因而能降低血管胆固醇，防治高血压、冠心病等病症。除此之外，花生仁含有30％的蛋白质和多种氨基酸，每百克仁热量为2361千焦，因而它不仅仅是一种价值高、营养丰富的食品，也是重要的工业、医药原料。国外应用花生蛋白生产的多功能食品、大众化食品、高乳食品、特制木尔顿乳剂和儿童食品早已风靡全球。开封生产的花生酱、花生酥糕、花生糖等传统小食品也极受消费者欢迎。此外，花生的茎、叶、果壳和种皮也具有较高的医药价值。中医认为花生仁有补脾润肺，补中益气，开胃健脾的作用。花生果壳可提取降低血压和减少胆固醇的药物──脉通灵，还可培育菌种。花生种衣也能提炼治疗各种出血症的药物─宁血一号。其中叶还可治疗神经衰弱、失眠、血压高等病。除药用外，果壳尚能制取醋酸、醋石、糖醛、活性碳、丙酮、甲醇及酱油等多种产品，当然它也是理想的秸秆饲料。
      
    开封花生是开封的名优产品，它始于明万历年间，至今已有300多年的历史。开封地处黄河中下游，气候温和，土壤松软，光照充足，适合花生生长。因此，这里的花生产量高，质量好，以致使开封成为九州驰名的"花生王国".开封花生具有籽饱、果长、皮薄、味香、出油率高等优点。 花生不仅是食品、油料、还具有医药、工业用途，被群众称为"聚宝"，"金豆豆"。用花生制作的焦炒花生、咸面花生、虎皮花生、花生糕、花生糖等品种繁多，美味宜人，深受广大群众喜爱。开封县生产的优质生产的优质花生油，不仅畅销全国，而且远销欧美、东南亚等10多个国家和地区。 


 

Kaifeng Peanuts

    Kaifeng peanut is a famous specialty in Kaifeng City which stems from Wanli period in Ming Dynasty over 300 years ago. Kaifeng is located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and has moderate climate, soft soil and rich sunshine, which are appropriate for the growing of peanuts. Thus, peanuts produced there have high yield and quality and also make Kaifeng become a famous Peanut Kingdom in Henan Province.
      
    Advantages of this breed are that owning plump and long seeds, thin peels, fragrant smell, high oil yield and so on. Peanuts are not only able to make into various food and oil, but have medical and industrial usages. Wide variety food made from peanuts such as fried peanuts, tiger-skin peanuts, peanut cakes, peanut brittles, etc are much delicious and is well welcomed by common people. High-quality peanut oil made in Kaifeng sells very well in China as well as in more than 10 countries in Europe, America and Eastern Asia.