When it comes to pears or bananas, everyone knows without a doubt that they are fruit. But what are cucumbers - fruit or vegetable? What characteristics distinguish each category? What is the difference between fruits and vegetables and what do cucumbers belong to? Botanically, as a food or the answer from the kitchen

Cucumbers - fruit or vegetable - what makes the difference?

The fact is: As versatile as cucumbers are, the characteristics that differentiate between fruit and vegetables are just one-sided. Depending on whether you look at it from a botanical or food perspective:

  • Botanically it grows

Fruit from a fertilized flower
Vegetables, on the other hand, are made from other parts of the plant

  • When food comes from

fruit of perennial plants
vegetables from annual plants

Cucumbers - the fruit vegetable or the vegetable fruit?

But according to this definition, the answer again remains ambiguous. Because whether cucumbers in a bucket or greenhouse, they grow like pumpkins and tomatoes from a flower and are therefore part of the fruit. But as an annual plant and because of the lack of fruit sweetness, they are classified as vegetables according to the food definition.

The answer to the question: what are cucumbers? Cucumbers are a fruit vegetable.

tips and tricks

Answer from the kitchen: Most fruit can be eaten raw. Vegetables rather steamed or boiled. Ripe fruit is soft - vegetables, on the other hand, are difficult to chew. When we think of vegetables, we think of appetizers, and when we think of fruit, we think of dessert. Fruits or vegetables? The main thing is delicious cucumbers from the garden.

Category:

Vegetable garden