Bright red, juicy-sweet tomatoes make most people think of fruit rather than vegetables. In which category do paradise apples actually belong? Even the scientists are struggling. Nevertheless, there is an answer.

Botanical definitions only provide clues

Not so easy to answer the question about the difference between fruit and vegetables. In such cases, mere mortals turn to highly qualified scientists in the hope of an informed answer. The botanists and food scientists are on hand with the following definitions:

fruit
Watery fruits that are eaten raw. When ripe, fruit is so soft that it does not need to be cooked. The fruits come from the fertilized flowers of perennial trees or shrubs. Their natural sugar content is so high that they taste sweet without the addition of granulated sugar.

vegetables
All edible parts of plants, such as roots, leaves or stems. Most types of vegetables bear fruit once a year and are grown anew every year. Even when ripe, vegetables are so hard that they are unfit for consumption raw. People can only eat vegetables when they are prepared, such as boiling or steaming.

The definitions therefore clearly apply to cherries, apples and peaches. There is no need for discussion when assigning Brussels sprouts, leeks or carrots. Tomatoes, however, defy precise definition. The fruits are mostly eaten like fruit. The green parts of the plant are even toxic to humans and animals due to the solanine content. At the same time, the fact that they are planted as an annual should not be overlooked.

Smart back door out of the dilemma: fruit vegetables

Since tomatoes meet the requirements for both fruit and vegetables, a solution had to be found. The answer is as simple as it is convincing: tomatoes are fruit vegetables.

  • the tomato develops from a pollinated flower
  • only the fruits can be harvested and eaten
  • since tomato plants are not hardy, they are cultivated as annuals in beds, greenhouses and tubs

They line up alongside pumpkins, peppers and legumes, which also elude the definition of fruit and vegetables. This has no effect on the cultivation of tomatoes in the hobby garden. As a fruit vegetable, too, the apples of paradise will react angrily to being planted next to red cabbage, fennel, sweetcorn, strawberries and potatoes.

tips and tricks

The specification of tomatoes as fruit vegetables is now also taken into account in the lunar calendar. If hobby gardeners orientate themselves according to the trajectory of the earth, they will also find the favorable days for sowing, planting and grafting in the fruit vegetables section.

Category:

Vegetable garden