The four major peanut types and several peanut products were analyzed for total lipids, fatty acid content, fat, ash and protein. Runner and Virginia types contained similar amounts of oleic and linoleic acids that were significantly different from those found in Valencia and Spanish types of peanuts. Characterization of the peanut types into groups by fatty acid profiles was more definitive than by sterol profiles. No significant differences in fat, ash or protein content were found between the various peanut types. Peanut products did not always exhibit the same fatty acid and sterol profiles as peanuts.