Why tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable

Just like peas, beans are a member of the legume family — they're seeds that come in pods, and that makes them fruit. Another common legume is chickpeas or garbanzo beans. We usually don't see them inside their pods , but chickpeas are classified the same way as peas and beans. For you. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options.

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Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. Log out. Subscriber Account active since. And while your elementary-school teacher or know-it-all friend may have informed you that tomatoes are technically fruits, the answer isn't so clear-cut.

In reality, tomatoes are both fruits and vegetables at the same time. The explanation lies in the two different ways that "fruit" is defined. First, it is true that scientifically speaking, tomatoes are fruits. According to Merriam-Webster, a fruit is "the usually edible reproductive body of a seed plant. That definition includes apples, tomatoes, and anything else that grows from a plant and contains seeds.

Cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, and avocados are all fruits too, according to science. Vegetables, on the other hand, have a slightly murkier definition. It's a word we use to group together a wide range of plants whose parts are edible and herbaceous, like roots, stems, and leaves. Word of the day. Trending Words Most popular in the world. Are You Learning English? To summarise, tomatoes are usually prepared in savoury dishes despite botanically being a fruit, which is why they are often described as a vegetable from a culinary perspective.

Who cares, though, when tomatoes taste as good as they do! We can all agree tomatoes are easy snacks, delicious in stews and are a healthy option in our diets, providing us with fibre, vitamins and minerals. When do you think the best season for tomatoes is? Want to know the best time to buy fruits and vegetables? Check out our article on seasonal fruits and vegetables by month in Europe! Is a Tomato a Fruit or a Vegetable and Why?

Last Updated : 04 March Many of us can easily distinguish the differences between most fruit and vegetables but when it comes to the age-old question of, is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable, we are not really sure what to answer! The botanical classification: Tomatoes are fruits. The Culinary Classification: Tomatoes are vegetables.