Food Facts

Vegetable or a Fruit? Getting Answers to the Heated Debate

Science Vs. The Kitchen to Answer That Question.

I’m sure you’ve heard it before – “If it has a seed, it’s a fruit.” But is it really that definitive? Actually, it’s not. Here is the breakdown about what’s a fruit and what’s a vegetable:

 

Technically fruits. Culinarily a savory vegetable.

Fruits are defined as anything with a seed. Apples, watermelons, tomatoes, and squash all have seeds. So scientifically and technically these are fruits.

Vegetables are defined as plant parts like roots, leaves, or stems. Potatoes, beets, radishes, spinach, lettuce, celery, and broccoli are all clearly vegetables.

The confusion arrives when using a technical fruit as a vegetable in a savory manner.

In 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that an imported tomato should be taxed as a vegetable rather than as a less taxed fruit. While it is a botanical fruit, they decided with the ordinary definition that a tomato is used in a savory context in the kitchen.

Hence, along with professional chefs, you can rightfully call a fruit a vegetable if you use it in the culinary world as a side dish or main course.

 

Fruits that can Culinarily be Labeled as Vegetables

Here is a list of what are technically and scientifically fruits because their contain seeds, yet because they are used in a savory side dish or main course, they are culinarily considered vegetables:

  • tomatoes
  • peppers
  • squash
  • cucumbers
  • zucchini
  • eggplant
  • peas
  • string beans
  • okra
  • olives
  • avocados
  • corn
  • beans
  • chickpeas

 
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. With no additional cost to you, your purchases earn me a commission if you click on the links via my website – Thank you!


Sign up for my newsletter on the sidebar for blog updates and my travel insider tips! And, check out my vlogs on YouTube!

Angela

Share
Published by
Angela
Tags Food Facts

Recent Posts

Ramen History of Japan’s Famous Noodle Soup

Slurping up the Strands & Theories of Ramen History. Ramen is undoubtedly one of Japan’s…

2 days ago

Silog History: Looking Back at the Famous Filipino Breakfast

In Search of Silog’s Origin Story. Silog is a must-have dish when in the Philippines.…

4 days ago

Poke History: From the Ocean to the Islands to the Mainland

Origins and Variations of Poke. In recent years, poke and poke bowls have been so…

1 week ago

Sinigang History: The Unofficial National Dish of the Philippines?

Everyday Comfort Food for All Occasions. While the world may know of adobo or lumpiang…

2 weeks ago

Parker House Rolls History: The Unintentional Creation of America’s Dinner Roll

Kind of on purpose, but also kind of an accident. Parker House Rolls are dubbed…

2 weeks ago

Pepperoni History: Origins & Timeline

A Timeline of Pepperoni History. Pepperoni is truly an iconic American food as it is…

3 weeks ago