Is a Tomato a Fruit or Vegetable?

While the controversy over whether tomatoes are a fruit or a vegetable may never be resolved, one thing is for certain: they are healthy and delicious. Tomatoes can be enjoyed in salads, sandwiches, and many other dishes. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, flavors, and colors, ranging from light yellow to deep red.

Regardless of where you group them, these bright and flavourful red treats are a necessity for the modern kitchen. From fresh and healthy salsa that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, to more adventurous recipes like Fresh Tomato Jam with Bay Scallops and Cucumbers, these versatile berries shed new light on both traditional and contemporary menus.

Though labeled as produce in the grocery store, a tomato is considered some fruit in the culinary world. When it comes to nutrition, there is little distinction between fruits and vegetables—both are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Tomatoes are one of those foods that have a flavor all their own. There are so many uses for tomatoes beyond being a simple salad item, which is why most people call them vegetables. But really, what exactly is a tomato? Are they fruits or vegetables?

What is the Difference Between a Fruit and a Vegetable?

Whether you have been wondering this your whole life or are curious about what makes a tomato a fruit while an apple is a vegetable, you will learn the answer in this article. Whether you want to know what the difference between fruits and vegetables is, want to decide which one to eat more of, or simply want a review on either/or, keep reading!

Fruits and vegetables are two of the healthiest foods you can eat. They are both packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Although they have a lot in common, fruits and vegetables also have some distinct differences! For example, most of us think of tomatoes as a vegetable but they are fruit. Let us take a minute to explore the similarities and differences between fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are two of the most talked-about and commonly consumed foods in the world. Although they share many similarities, there are some important distinctions between fruits and vegetables that may surprise you. A fruit is the ripened ovary (the seeds have been removed) of a flowering plant. A vegetable is a part of a plant that has been eaten (usually cooked) as food, such as a leaf, root, or stem.

Whether you are a chef or a farmer, when people ask you, what is the difference between a fruit and a vegetable, you know it is time for a refresher.

Botanical Classification

Botanical classification of fruits and vegetables is primarily based on the structure and function of the part of the plant in question. What is classified as a fruit, then, depends on how you plan to use it, whether to eat it raw or cooked.

Botanically speaking, a fruit is a plant structure that contains seeds. The ovary of a plant becomes the fruit. In flower vegetables, like cucumbers, peas and tomatoes, the ovary wall becomes fleshy and dehisces at maturity to allow the seeds contained within them to be dispersed from the parent plant. Vegetables are defined as parts of a plant that are usually served cooked or raw for cooking purposes.

All fruit is a part of a flowering plant, but not all plants that are fruit are considered flowering plants. For example, strawberries, bananas, and pineapples have fruits from which they grow, but they do not produce flowers. Sequoia trees have fruits that are cones and apples, peaches, blueberries, and strawberries are just some examples of common fruits found in gardens around the world.

Vegetables are the edible parts of a plant, including the roots, stems, leaves, or other auxiliary parts. For example, spinach is a vegetable, while spinach leaves and stems are also considered vegetables.

Vegetables and fruits have their classification structure, but not all plants fit into either. Plants that are considered vegetables and fruits usually have edible parts, aside from just leaves or flowers. However, due to the wide variety of plants in existence, there are still exceptions to this rule.

Culinary Skills

Most people think of fruit as being sweet and a vegetable as being savory. However, the definition of fruit and vegetable is not that cut and dried, especially when it comes to their culinary functions.

In food preparation and presentation, those fruits or vegetables used primarily for flavor—such as seasoning, garnish, or juicing—are referred to as garnishes. Although many fruits are edible, in culinary usage the term fruit normally is applied only to those that are sweet and fleshy at maturity. These may be fresh, dried, or canned.

Culinary fruits are a group of fruits that grow directly on the trunk or branches of trees. They are perfect for desserts, pastries, and smoothies.

Fruits and vegetables are often confused, with the difference being whether the plant is used for culinary or botanical purposes. Fruit is sweet and fleshy, while a vegetable has a savory flavor and is not as sweet.

Tomatoes Are Fruits

In the botanical world, tomatoes are considered fruits. Although they have many of the same features as vegetables, certain physical traits confirm to botanists their classification as a fruit. One of these features is that they grow from small yellow flowers which produce seeds that can be harvested and grown to cultivate more tomato plants. If you enjoy cooking with fresh, homegrown tomatoes, then you are enjoying nature’s little garden.

Some people think and say that tomatoes are vegetables because they are not yellow, and they do not grow directly from the ground like potatoes, cucumbers, and eggplant. That’s true. But according to science and botany, tomatoes are fruits – the seeds inside tomato plants naturally grow from yellow flowers on the vine.

Botanically, tomatoes are fruits. Even though some modern varieties of tomato plants have been intentionally cultivated to stop producing seeds, this does not count as reproduction and still makes a tomato fruit in botanical terms. For fruits to fall into the category of botanical fruits, they must form from a flower and contain seeds.

Classified as a Vegetable

Tomatoes have been a staple food item for generations, with their diverse range of uses, availability, and affordability. However, due to their composition, they are frequently classified as a vegetable when used in things like salads, salsas, sauces, and other culinary masterpieces.

The most common misconception about tomatoes is that they are in fact, a vegetable. In truth, whether you slice them and add them to a salad or puree them into a soup, a tomato is considered an edible fruit.

Tomatoes burst with flavor, a result of their high content of the antioxidant lycopene. They are often classified as a vegetable in cooking, and like most vegetables, they are a reliable source of vitamins and minerals and can be used in many types of dishes.

Tomatoes are not the only foods that struggle with this kind of identity crisis. It is common for plants botanically classified as fruits to be used as vegetables in culinary practice.

Other fruits that are often considered vegetables include:

• Cucumber
• Okra
• Peapods
• Peppers
• Squash
• Eggplant

Though much less common, sometimes vegetables are utilized more like fruits in certain culinary scenarios, too.

Rhubarb, for example, is often included in sweet dessert-style recipes even though it is a vegetable. This is also exemplified in other dishes like carrot cake or sweet potato pie.