The whole world has long been puzzled by one question. What exactly is a tomato? Is it a fruit or a vegetable?
Well, it’s not an easy question to answer. There are two main schools of thought on this topic. Tomatoes are said to be fruits because they are edible and have seeds inside. Another school maintains that tomatoes are vegetables because they do not have seeds inside.
Tomatoes are one of the most consumed foods in the world and also the easiest to grow. The tomato was once classified as a herbaceous plant and was called nightshade because of its similarity in appearance to the deadly nightshade plant (Atropa belladonna), which grows throughout Europe, North America and Asia. Other members of the nightshade family include potatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos. The botanical name of tomato is Lycopersicon esculentum.
To know whether to classify tomatoes as a fruit or vegetable, we must first know the differences between fruits and vegetables.
So what is the difference between fruits and vegetables?
Fruits and vegetables are two types of foods that come from plants. They contain nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and water. Both fruits and vegetables are important parts of a balanced diet.
The term “fruit” is generally applied to a large, sweet, edible drupe that develops from a seed. The fruits can be eaten raw. They can also be used in the kitchen.
Vegetables are distinguished from fruits by the fact that they do not grow on trees (fruits) or from seeds (flowers). Vegetables are classified into two main groups: herbaceous plants and other non-woody plants known as green plants.
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What is tomato, fruit or vegetable?
Turns out it’s both.
Yes, you read it right. The tomato is both a fruit and a vegetable.
Scientifically, tomatoes are fruits. However, there are certain reasons that also classify them as vegetables.
Tomatoes are technically classified as fruits because they contain seeds and are grown from flowers.
On the other hand, they are considered vegetables because they are cooked like a vegetable and are closely related to other members of the nightshade family, eggplants and peppers.
Why is tomato a fruit?
According to the definition of fruits, they are the sweet, fleshy product of a tree or other plant that contains seeds and can be consumed as food. Furthermore, fruits come from flowers. It just so happens that tomatoes come from flowers, are fleshy, though not typically sweet like other fruits, and also contain seeds.
Thus, according to the definition of fruit, tomatoes meet almost all the criteria. That is why they are classified as fruits.
Why is tomato a vegetable?
Vegetables are defined as a plant or a part of a plant, such as roots, stems, leaves, etc., that can be cooked and used as food. In 1983, the United States Supreme Court decided that the tomato would be classified as a vegetable based on the way it is cooked and used to prepare dishes, rather than its scientific classification as a fruit.
So, legally and culinary, tomatoes are also vegetables.
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In the end, it matters little whether we consider a tomato a fruit or a vegetable. You can classify them as either or both. Either way, tomatoes are very nutritious and good for your health.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: ptivs2.edu.vn