There are more than 10000 varieties of tomatoes all over the world and each of them is undoubtedly delicious. However, the tomato has the subject of an age-old debate about whether it is a vegetable or a fruit.
Tomato is one of the most versatile foods in the world. It tastes delectably sweet and acidic and can be eaten in a million different ways, raw off the vine, canned or cooked. It is next to perfect in whichever way it is consumed whether it is tossed raw in a healthy salad and cooked into a rich pasta sauce!
“Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad” - Miles Kington
Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are generally garnered praise for being incredible sources of nutrients including vitamins, minerals and fibre. While they are a lot of common factors between them, there are a lot of distinct differences between fruits and vegetables.
Fruits
Fruits are defined as usually edible reproductive parts of a flowering seed plant; especially one that has a sweet pulp. Botanically, fruits are formed from matured flowers, have seeds and are a part of the plant’s reproductive process. These parts are usually high in fructose. Commonly known fruits are apples, mangoes, bananas, peaches and oranges.
Vegetables
Vegetables are defined as usually herbaceous plants grown for an edible part of the plant that is eaten as a part of a meal. Botanically, all edible parts of the plant including roots, stems, buds and leaves are considered when classifying vegetables. These are usually high in fibre. Commonly known vegetables include beetroot, potato, spinach, carrot, celery and broccoli.
In the culinary world, fruits and vegetables are classified not according to their botanical nature but depending on how they are applied and the differences in flavour profiles. Fruits generally have a softer texture and a sweet flavour which is best suited for desserts and pastries, smoothies and jams or eaten raw as itself in the form of a snack. On the other hand, vegetables have a tough texture and sometimes a bland or bitter flavour until cooked. While most can be enjoyed raw, some are required to cook for ease of digestion. They are appropriate for savoury dishes including stews, stir-fries, soups and salads.
Tomato is one of the trickiest foods to classify. Every farmer, nutritionist, botanist, chef, lawyer and trader will have a different basis for categorizing the tomato. The scientific, culinary, nutritional and legal classifications of tomatoes all have different criteria!
Tomato – A Fruit
The tomato is a seed plant which grows small pretty yellow flowers on a long vine which turn into red pulpy tomatoes which contain a large number of seeds. Hence, the tomato is scientifically classified as a fruit. They are known for being sweet while also having a tart acidity and are delicious when consumed raw with a pinch of sea salt on top. However, tomatoes are not as sweet as other fruits to be utilised in a typical dessert.
The red tomato is full of anthocyanins (which give the red colour to fruits and vegetables), antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds which makes it good for heart and eye health. It also has significant sugar content mainly fructose. Hence in the nutritional aspect, the tomato is considered a fruit. Technically, the tomato is a berry!
Tomato – A Vegetable
The culinary world categorises foods according to their application and the science behind how certain flavours complement or enhance each other. In cooking, tomatoes are most commonly paired with other vegetables in complex savoury dishes. Hence, in culinary implementation, a tomato has garnered a reputation as a vegetable. They are one of the most common ingredients providing the body of sauces and stews all over the world.
In 1893, the United States Congress passed a tariff act declaring a 10 % tax on the trade of vegetables. The traders used the grey area of tomato classification and avoided paying the fee by declaring the tomato as a fruit! The US Supreme Court had to pass a decision stating that tomato is to be classified as a vegetable in trade and commerce due to its application in food as a vegetable. Hence, the legal classification of tomato is a vegetable!
Both a fruit and a vegetable
The simple answer to the debate is that the tomato is both a fruit and a vegetable. It depends on if you’re talking to farmers and gardeners who will say it’s a fruit or chefs and traders who will say it’s a vegetable. Regardless of what it is called, a tomato is a great food to always have in your pantry. It is an incredible source of essential fibre, nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants with endless health benefits. Fruits and vegetables are both equally beneficial and quite necessary for improving the health of our body and mind.
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