what exactl id the difference between fruits and veggies…?? my son asked me why is a grape a fruit, since it grows on vines, but a pumpkin and beans also grow on vines,yet they are veggies. any care to clarify this for me…?? thanks.
I used to think seeds separated them apart, saying only fruits have seeds, but then so does a cucumber. Then they say how it’s grown. True vegetables are the roots or stalks of the plant (turnip, potato, carrot, celery, asparagas, etc) and fruits are things growing off of the plant. I really don’t know but I would like to add that a banana is neither a fruit or a vegetable…it’s actually the worlds largest herb. I saw that on TV so it must be true!
-Morgan
Here is a description from Dr. Dictionary:
Fruit is generally derived from the reproductive organs of the plant, and vegetables are all of the other parts of the plant such as leaves, stems and roots.
As such, the pumpkin is technically a fruit… as is the cucumber, tomato, and pepper.
Or, you can ask the master
But, somebody explain to me: Why did this link come up when I “Asked Jeeves” but not when I searched for “Vegetables” in the SD archive?
The problem here is that “fruit” is a botanical term, which is easy to define, but “fruit” and “vegetable” are also used in a colloquial, non-botanical sense in which the difference is harder to define. In fact the difference depends entirely on social convention and usage.
Therefore tomatoes, pumpkins and beans are all fruits to a botanist, but are vegetables to the rest of us, and the edible part of a rhubarb plant is the stem, but it is eaten as a dessert item.
A banana is not a herb, it is the fruit of a herbaceous plant.
Of course, pumpkins can be considered a “fruit” in the culinary sense, as well. Pumpkin pie isn’t generally considered a “vegetable”.
Rhubarb is not botanically a fruit, yet it is served as one.
Botanists and chefs use different terminology; that’s all.
Next up: Chemists Vs Gardeners - the ‘Organic’ showdown.
sorry everton; somehow I missed your post :o
It’s a common problem. I’ve given up taking umbrage about it by now :).