Why Are Certain Items Such as Tomatoes, Squash, and Potatoes Not Known as Either Fruit or Vegetable?
In the culinary world, the distinction between fruits and vegetables is often made based on their culinary use and function. Traditionally, fruits are sweet and eaten raw or cooked as desserts, while vegetables are savory and used in main dishes. However, this classification system can become blurry when it comes to certain items like tomatoes, squash, and potatoes.
Botanically speaking, fruits are the mature ovaries of flowering plants that contain seeds. Vegetables, on the other hand, are the edible plant parts that are not fruits, such as roots, stems, and leaves. Based on this definition, tomatoes, squash, and potatoes would be classified as fruits because they all contain seeds.
However, in culinary practice, these items are typically treated as vegetables due to their savory flavor and lack of sweetness. This classification is further reinforced by legal definitions in various countries. For example, in the United States, the Supreme Court ruled in 1893 that tomatoes are vegetables for tariff purposes, despite their botanical classification as fruits.
So, while tomatoes, squash, and potatoes may be fruits from a botanical perspective, their culinary use and legal status have led them to be commonly referred to as vegetables. This distinction serves a practical purpose in differentiating between the sweet and savory flavors that we commonly associate with fruits and vegetables.
Related Questions:
- What is the botanical definition of a fruit?
- What is the botanical definition of a vegetable?
- Which Supreme Court case ruled that tomatoes are vegetables?
- What is the culinary difference between fruits and vegetables?
- Why do tomatoes, squash, and potatoes fall into a gray area between fruit and vegetable?
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