What is a vegetable and what is a fruit and how to tell the difference between them

It seems to us that even a child can distinguish fruits from vegetables; this is taught in elementary school. But, in fact, it is very difficult to draw a clear line between a vegetable and a fruit. The existing confusion regarding the definition of fruits and vegetables is the fault of culinary specialists; fruits have become classified according to their taste.

Sweet fruits belong to the group of desserts and are classified as fruits. More spicy in taste and suitable as a side dish are vegetables.

Even classifying fruits according to their structure and the place where they grew does not help determine which is a vegetable and which is a fruit. Many people believe that vegetables are herbaceous plants, and fruits grow on bushes and trees. Biologists from different countries have their own views on how to distinguish them. Some things may seem quite strange at first glance. For example, consider a watermelon a berry because the pulp is sweet and there are seeds inside for reproduction. So, watermelon is a big tasty berry.

Fruits

If we look at the issue from a scientific point of view, fruits are edible fruits with preserved seeds, which are then used for propagation. This definition says that cucumbers and other vegetables are fruits.

Animals love the tasty pulp of fruits. By eating fruits, they spread their seeds. The seeds will germinate without human help; it is enough for the fruits to fall to the ground. If there are seeds, then it is a fruit.

Vegetables

But vegetables are considered not only the edible part of the plant, but also have leaves, stems or roots. Fruits are not included in this category.

As for botany, here we are talking about the fact that a fruit is the fruit of a plant that develops from a flower and contains seeds. And if this is so, then fruits should include beans, cucumbers, as well as peppers, eggplants and tomatoes.

The life cycle of vegetables is very short; they grow quickly and die when cold weather sets in. They have no stem. They don't need it any more than they need big foliage. The main thing is to grow seeds for next year.

Different views

Botanist classification is traditionally more focused on tradition rather than traits. Methods for identifying vegetables and fruits in our country differ from those developed in European countries. According to Europeans, tomatoes are a fruit, but for us this is a big strange thing.
Another method for separating fruits and vegetables is if the part of the plant that feeds the fruits with substances and water does not change over long seasons, then it is a fruit. Otherwise, it's a vegetable.
But the method does not work on the example of fruit trees. They are long-lived and their fruits and foliage are renewed every year. Tomatoes are grown annually; they are annuals, therefore they are vegetables.

What to do with a banana? It grows on a banana palm tree and classifying a banana as a palm tree is a mistake. And what is usually mistaken for a trunk is actually a fake stem formed by leaf sheaths. Renewal occurs due to the fact that young leaves grow in the “trunk”, and the outer ones slowly die off. This sign suggests that a banana can be safely classified as a vegetable.
Biologists know that bananas have another true stem. It is very short, lasts as long as the banana grows and hides underground. Then it turns out that banana is a fruit.This fact indicates that the classification is not suitable for giving a final answer to the question in front of you. The situation is similar with pineapple.

In the case of the date palm and its fruits, we can say that they are, in fact, fruits.
Grapes with perennial stems are a fruit. Traditionally in European cuisine, its leaves are preserved, grilled, and served with sweets. If we consider this point of view, then he is a vegetable.

A nut is a representative fruit. Peanuts are a vegetable and have nothing to do with nuts.

Gooseberries or currants should then be called fruits.

According to this principle, currants or gooseberries should be classified as fruits.

In most cases, you can determine the edible part of a plant for a fruit or vegetable only by appearance. If you tell a scientist that you have a rich harvest of berries and show them tomatoes, they will understand. In the store you will not see a sign under the tomatoes - berries. They may refuse to sell you tomatoes if you ask them to weigh the berries for you, and they may also twist your finger at your temple. Use local traditions to be understood. In any case, vegetables and fruits are equally beneficial for our body. Any person needs to remember this, and classifying vegetables and fruits is the job of biologists.