Fruit

In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (also known as angiosperms)

formed from the ovary after flowering.

Accordingly, fruits account for a significant fraction of the world's agricultural output, and some
(such as the apple and the pomegranate) have acquired extensive cultural and symbolic
meanings.
In common language usage, "fruit" normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of a
plant that are sweet or sour, and edible in the raw state, such
as apples, bananas, grapes, lemons, oranges, and strawberries. On the other hand, in botanical
usage, "fruit" includes many structures that are not commonly called "fruits", such
as bean pods, corn kernels, tomatoes, and wheat grains.
Fruit anatomy
Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. In fleshy fruits, the outer layer
(which is often edible) is the pericarp, which is the tissue that develops from the ovary wall of
the flower and surrounds the seeds. The pericarp may be described in three layers from outer to
inner, the epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp.
Seedless fruit
Seedlessness is an important feature of some fruits of export purposes.
Commercial cultivars of bananas and pineapples are examples of seedless fruits. Some cultivars
of citrus fruits (especially grapefruit, mandarin oranges) table grapes, and watermelons are
valued for their seedlessness. In some species, seedlessness is the result of parthenocarpy (In
botany and horticulture, parthenocarpy is the natural or artificially induced production of fruit
without fertilization of ovules, which makes the fruit seedless). Parthenocarpic fruit set may or
may not require pollination, but most seedless citrus fruits require a stimulus from pollination to
produce fruit.
Nutritional status
Fresh fruits are generally high in fiber, Vitamins (vitamin C), minerals and water.
Regular consumption of fruit is generally associated with reduced risks of several diseases and
efficient declines associated with ageing.

Vegetable

Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food. The
original meaning is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible
plant matter, including the flowers, fruits, stems, leaves, roots, and seeds.
Originally, vegetables were collected from the wild by hunter-gatherers and entered cultivation
in several parts of the world, probably during the period 10,000 BC to 7,000 BC, when a
new agricultural way of life developed. At first, plants which grew locally would have been
cultivated, but as time went on, trade brought exotic crops from elsewhere to add to domestic
types. Nowadays, most vegetables are grown all over the world as climate permits, and crops
may be cultivated in protected environments in less suitable locations. China is the largest
producer of vegetables and global trade in agricultural products allows consumers to purchase
vegetables grown in faraway countries. The scale of production varies from farmers supplying
the needs of food to their family, to agribusinesses with vast acreages of single-product crops.
Depending on the type of vegetable concerned, harvesting the crop is followed by grading,
storing, processing, and marketing.

Some common vegetables

Image Species Parts used Cultivars

leaves, axilla cabbage, Brussels
Brassica ry buds, sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi,
oleracea stems, red cabbage, Savoy cabbage, Chinese
flower heads broccoli, collard greens

Brassica turnip, Chinese cabbage, napa cabbage, bok

root, leaves
rapa choy

root, leaves,
Raphanus seed pods,
radish, daikon, seedpod varieties
sativus seed oil,
sprouting

Daucus root, leaves,

carrot
carota stems
Pastinaca
Root parsnip
sativa

Beta
root, leaves beetroot, sea beet, Swiss chard, sugar beet
vulgaris

leaves,
Lactuca
stems, seed lettuce, celtuce
sativa
oil

Phaseolus
vulgaris
Phaseolus green bean, French bean, runner bean, haricot
pods, seeds
coccineus bean, Lima bean
Phaseolus
lunatus

Vicia faba pods, seeds broad bean

Pisum pods, seeds,

pea, snap pea, snow pea, split pea
sativum sprouts
Solanum
Tubers potato
tuberosum

Solanum
Fruits eggplant (aubergine)
melongena

Solanum
lycopersicu Fruits tomato, see list of tomato cultivars
m

Cucumis
fruits cucumber, see list of cucumber varieties
sativus

Cucurbita fruits, pumpkin, squash, marrow, zucchini (courgette)

spp. flowers , gourd

onion, spring onion, scallion, shallot, see list of

Allium cepa bulbs, leaves
onion cultivars
Allium
bulbs garlic
sativum

Allium
ampeloprasu leaf sheaths leek, elephant garlic
m

Capsicum
fruits pepper, bell pepper, sweet pepper
annuum

Spinacia
leaves spinach
oleracea

Dioscorea
tubers yam
spp.

tubers,
Ipomoea
leaves, sweet potato, see list of sweet potato cultivars
batatas
shoots
 Manihot
tubers cassava
esculenta

Nutritional Status

Vegetables play an important role in human nutrition. Most are low in fat and calories but are
bulky and filling. They supply dietary fiber and are important sources of essential vitamins,
minerals, and trace elements. Particularly important are the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E.
When vegetables are included in the diet, there is found to be a reduction in the incidence of
cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic ailments.

Tomatoes are vegetables or fruits????

Fruits are formed from flowers, have seeds and assist with the plant’s reproduction process.
Some common fruits include apples, peaches, blueberries and raspberries. On the other hand,
vegetables are the roots, stems, leaves or other auxiliary parts of the plant. Some well-known
vegetables include spinach, lettuce, carrots, beets and celery.

Culinary Classification

When it comes to cooking, the classification system for fruits and vegetables changes
significantly compared to how they’re categorized botanically. In culinary practice, fruits and
vegetables are utilized and applied based primarily on their flavor profiles. Generally, a fruit has
a soft texture and tends to give sweet taste. It may also be somewhat tart or tangy. It’s best suited
for desserts, pastries, smoothies, jams or eaten by itself.

Conversely, a vegetable typically has a tasteless and possibly bitter flavor. It usually has a
tougher texture than fruit and, though some are enjoyed raw, may require cooking. They’re best
suited for salty or spicy dishes like stir-fries, stews, salads.

Botanic classification

Tomatoes are botanically fruits because they form from a flower and contain seeds.
They’re Often Classified as a Vegetable

Much of the confusion about whether a tomato is a fruit or vegetable comes from the common
culinary applications for tomatoes. Cooking is as much an art as it is a science, which tends to
give way to more flexibility for how different foods are categorized. In cooking, tomatoes are
usually used alone or paired alongside other true vegetables in savory dishes. As a result, they’ve
earned a reputation as a vegetable, even though they’re technically a fruit by scientific standards.
This was the method of classification used by the US Supreme Court in 1893 during a legal
dispute with a tomato importer who argued his tomatoes should be considered fruits to avoid the
higher vegetable price. It was during this case that the court ruled the tomato would be classified
as a vegetable on the basis of its culinary applications instead of its botanical categorization as a
fruit.

Tomatoes aren’t the only foods that struggle with this kind of identity crisis. In fact, it's fairly
common for plants botanically classified as fruits to be used as vegetables in culinary practice.

Other fruits that are often considered vegetables include:

 Cucumber
 Pea pods
 Peppers
 Okra