NationStates Jolt Archive

Partly inspired by the recent thread on glass-swallowing: Do you consume the shells of un-shelled things intended to be eaten?

I always have, but I heard it said recently that it's not a healthy habit! :confused:

Here's the story:

It's baseball season again, as we all know. So I'm at my local supermarket, and I see some nice ballpark-style salted roast peanuts (in the shell) for a reasonable price. So, I purchase those, and later eat them at the bowling alley, whereupon I'm told by a stranger that the shells can "clog" my stomach, and might contain otherwise harmful chemicals! Unbelievable! I much prefer the taste of a peanut in its shell, just as I prefer a sunflower seed in its shell, and have never been "corrected" in my habits until just recently...

Which means, either strangers have happily overlooked my killing myself with shells for so many years, even at ballgames (:p) OR, noticed but didn't think there was anything wrong with shell consumption, OR, simply didn't know. So, I propose a poll, limited to the most common items, sunflower seeds and peanuts. :)

I have eaten peanuts with the shell on. They don't taste too bad, but the bits of shell in your mouth are kind of annoying.

Due to the vagaries of the English language, "shelled" peanuts are without the shells, as "pitted" olives have in fact had the pits removed.

I don't have best teeth so I don't eat the shells (and they taste like cardboard anyway).

I eat shelled nuts but not shelled fish.

I have eaten peanuts with the shell on. They don't taste too bad, but the bits of shell in your mouth are kind of annoying.

Yes, I can imagine not everyone would enjoy the fibrous texture, but at least I'm not alone in trying the shells, it seems. :)

Due to the vagaries of the English language, "shelled" peanuts are without the shells, as "pitted" olives have in fact had the pits removed.

Yes, I know. I corrected it shortly after posting. It is a quirk, though! :p

Yes, I know. I corrected it shortly after posting. It is a quirk, though! :p

*grins* And that, friends and neighbors, is why English is SUCH a joy to learn.

Only by the seashore.

I don't have best teeth so I don't eat the shells (and they taste like cardboard anyway).

It's probably not so much the shells themselves as it is the interplay between the peanut and the shell as they're eaten - the varied textures and, of course, the salt in and on the shell. So I suppose I wouldn't eat a bunch of shells by themselves, but they do enhance the overall taste of the product as a whole, I would say. :)

It's probably not so much the shells themselves as it is the interplay between the peanut and the shell as they're eaten - the varied textures and, of course, the salt in and on the shell. So I suppose I wouldn't eat a bunch of shells by themselves, but they do enhance the overall taste of the product as a whole, I would say. :)

Considering I have a lot of old fillings, I don't want any accidents. :D

Partly inspired by the recent thread on glass-swallowing: Do you consume the shells of un-shelled things intended to be eaten?

I always have, but I heard it said recently that it's not a healthy habit! :confused:

Here's the story:

It's baseball season again, as we all know. So I'm at my local supermarket, and I see some nice ballpark-style salted roast peanuts (in the shell) for a reasonable price. So, I purchase those, and later eat them at the bowling alley, whereupon I'm told by a stranger that the shells can "clog" my stomach, and might contain otherwise harmful chemicals! Unbelievable! I much prefer the taste of a peanut in its shell, just as I prefer a sunflower seed in its shell, and have never been "corrected" in my habits until just recently...

Which means, either strangers have happily overlooked my killing myself with shells for so many years, even at ballgames (:p) OR, noticed but didn't think there was anything wrong with shell consumption, OR, simply didn't know. So, I propose a poll, limited to the most common items, sunflower seeds and peanuts. :)
You peanuts with the shell? o_O

Are we talking about about the actual outer beige shell? Or just about that brown thin skin enveloping the nuts inside the outer shell?

*hopes it's the latter*

Considering I have a lot of old fillings, I don't want any accidents. :D

Not a bad idea. Might want to avoid JuJu Bees too, I'd think! :)

You peanuts with the shell? o_O

Are we talking about about the actual outer beige shell? Or just about that brown thin skin enveloping the nuts inside the outer shell?

*hopes it's the latter*

No, the whole deal of course! :)

It's quite tasty, and provides excellent texture.

No, the whole deal of course! :)

It's quite tasty, and provides excellent texture.
Wow.

I've never ever heard of or seen anyone do that.

Sunflower seeds I can see, but peanuts? Doesn't their shell taste like cardboard?

Wow.

I've never ever heard of or seen anyone do that.

Sunflower seeds I can see, but peanuts? Doesn't their shell taste like cardboard?

Granted, it seems that only about 1/4 of people here enjoy the shells, so maybe it's just an acquired taste or an unusual one. However, I absolutely do find the shells delicious, when roasted/salted along with the nut. They have a nice fibrous texture, with roasted/salted flavor just like the nut. I think the contrast in texture between the smooth and the fibrous enhances the overall taste. :)

Due to the vagaries of the English language, "shelled" peanuts are without the shells, as "pitted" olives have in fact had the pits removed.
And that's why I love the precise German language. No bull-doodoo like that.

Anyway - I got two fully functioning hands with opposable thumbs. I don't need to eat shells.

Besides, who knows what kind of crap is on the shells?

Granted, it seems that only about 1/4 of people here enjoy the shells, so maybe it's just an acquired taste or an unusual one. However, I absolutely do find the shells delicious, when roasted/salted along with the nut. They have a nice fibrous texture, with roasted/salted flavor just like the nut. I think the contrast in texture between the smooth and the fibrous enhances the overall taste. :)God, I feel like I just ventured on some really exotic national cuisine and am standing there gaping... Are you telling me you can actually buy peanuts that are roasted and salted with the shell on?

ETA:Just realized that you actually said so in the OP. "Ballpark-style". Huh. I guess then it's simply because we don't have those here that I can't even imagine eating the shells.
Here, peanuts either come shelled and roasted and salted, or they come "au natural" inside the shells.

God, I feel like I just ventured on some really exotic national cuisine and am standing there gaping... Are you telling me you can actually buy peanuts that are roasted and salted with the shell on?
Ja, genau. Maybe in Takatukaland.

God, I feel like I just ventured on some really exotic national cuisine and am standing there gaping... Are you telling me you can actually buy peanuts that are roasted and salted with the shell on?

ETA:Just realized that you actually said so in the OP. "Ballpark-style". Huh. I guess then it's simply because we don't have those here that I can't even imagine eating the shells.
Here, peanuts either come shelled and roasted and salted, or they come "au natural" inside the shells.

That could be the reason. Though you can buy roasted/salted peanuts in the shell at most stores, the ballpark is probably the place where most of them are eaten. Ballgames and the circus, but the circus isn't as popular. They come in nice small bags that are perfect for one person, and are usually the most reasonably priced snack you'll find at a ballgame. :)

Ja, genau. Maybe in Takatukaland.

Might be a dumb question, but, where? :p

Sounds like something from a movie I can almost remember, but not quite.

Does sucking the salt of the peanut shell count? after that I crack it open eith my teeth and spit the shell out.

Might be a dumb question, but, where? :p

Sounds like something from a movie I can almost remember, but not quite.
Pippi Longstocking. *nods*

Might be a dumb question, but, where? :p

Sounds like something from a movie I can almost remember, but not quite.
Pipi Longstockings. ;)

Does sucking the salt of the peanut shell count? after that I crack it open eith my teeth and spit the shell out.

Nah, close but not quite. Though I'll often do the same before eating both peanut and shell. :)

Pipi Longstockings. ;)

Ah, that rings a bell. :)