How to know – If it is a fruit or vegetable?
It is common for many to get confused between fruits and vegetables. This confusion is even more prevalent among young kids.
A kid once asked me- Are tomatoes fruits or vegetables?
In terms of botanical knowledge,
- Fruits develop from a flower and contain seeds.
- Examples: tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, avocados.
- Vegetables are other parts of the plant, like roots, stems, or leaves.
- Examples: carrots (roots), celery (stems), lettuce (leaves).
In terms of cooking,
- Fruits are usually sweet and used in desserts or snacks.
- Vegetables are savoury and used in main dishes or sides.
Most of us learn to classify food from how it is cooked and not from plant botany.
As for tomatoes, it being fruit and vegetable is both correct, just depends on the context. In science class, it would be a fruit and, in the kitchen, a vegetable.
There isn’t one single universal system for classifying vegetables, but many use the 9 groups of vegetables. Some classify these vegetable groups according to a different method and some classify according to lesser number or a greater number of groups.
These 9 groups of classification are the most commonly used according to the edible part of the plant (a common culinary and botanical categorization).
This system helps understand the origins of vegetable.
1. Leaves
Example: Spinach, lettuce, kale, cabbage, Swiss chard.
2. Stems
Example: Asparagus, celery, rhubarb, kohlrabi.
3. Roots
Example: Carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, parsnips.
4. Tubers
Example: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, Jerusalem artichokes.
Bulbs
Example: Onions, garlic, leeks, shallots, fennel.
5. Flowers
Example: Broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes,
6. Fruits (culinary vegetables that are botanically fruits)
Example: Tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, zucchini, squash, okra.
7. Seeds/Pods
Example: Peas, beans (green beans, snap peas), corn, lentils.
8. Fungi (mushrooms, though not plants)
Example: Button mushrooms, shiitake, portobello, oyster mushrooms.
To further differentiate the nutrient benefits of fruits and vegetables, they are classified according to rainbow colours.
This ensures a wide intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants as different colours provide different nutrients. For kids, it also helps create a visually appealing meal that caters to their nutrition needs.
Below are the 7 rainbow colours, their benefits and examples:
1️⃣ Red
- Nutrients: Lycopene, anthocyanins, Vitamin C
- Benefits: Heart health, immunity, anti-cancer properties
- Examples: Tomato, red bell pepper, strawberries, cherries, watermelon
2️⃣ Orange
- Nutrients: Beta-carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C
- Benefits: Eye health, skin health, immune system
- Examples: Carrots, pumpkin, orange, sweet potato, apricot
3️⃣ Yellow
- Nutrients: Vitamin C, lutein, flavonoids
- Benefits: Digestion, eye health, skin health
- Examples: Corn, yellow bell pepper, pineapple, banana, lemon
4️⃣ Green
- Nutrients: Chlorophyll, folate, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, iron
- Benefits: Bone health, detox, blood health, immunity
- Examples: Spinach, broccoli, green beans, kiwi, cucumber, avocado
5️⃣ Blue / Purple
- Nutrients: Anthocyanins, resveratrol, Vitamin C
- Benefits: Brain health, anti-aging, heart health
- Examples: Blueberries, grapes, eggplant, plums, purple cabbage
6️⃣ Indigo (sometimes combined with blue)
- Nutrients: Anthocyanins (like purple)
- Benefits: Similar to blue/purple; antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects
- Examples: Blackberries, black grapes, purple carrots
7️⃣ White / Bro
- Nutrients: Allicin, potassium, flavonoids
- Benefits: Heart health, cholesterol control, immunity
- Examples: Onion, garlic, cauliflower, potato, mushrooms, ginger
Hopefully, many who are reading will now know the health benefits of the different types of fruit and vegetables out there. Also, they will now know that the classification for fruits and vegetables are highly flexible and can be adjusted upon context.
