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In a botanical context, the definition of a fruit is a seed-bearing edible part of a plant that is formed from the ovary only after flowering. Most people classify fruits based on their taste and consistency. The majority of the fruits that are consumed on a large scale level across the world are citrusy and fleshy. They're either sweet or sour and that is exactly what contributes to their popularity.
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Although fruits are added to a lot of dishes and beverages, one can have fruits on their own as well. However, this is not the case with vegetables as you have to cook vegetables to make them edible and digestion-friendly. But you will be surprised to know that there are a lot of biological exceptions when it comes to classifying fruits and vegetables. Many of us mistake a lot of botanically classified fruits as vegetables.
It's time to unlearn, as here is the list of some conventionally classified vegetables that are scientifically fruits.
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* Eggplants
Looking at an eggplant, it is almost unfathomable that it has something in common with bananas, apples, and other such fruits. In most parts of the world, eggplant is consumed as a vegetable and only eaten after being spiced and cooked properly. Despite its preparation technique and the way that it is eaten, let us break to you that eggplant in reality is a fruit. As eggplants are derived from the flowering part of the plant, they are classified as fruits. They also have a lot of seeds which is another reason why they happen to be put under the fruit category.
* Tomatoes
Tomatoes have always been the subject of incessant debate as there has been a whirlwind discussion about their classification. In fact, in the past, there have been a lot of legal battles involving fiery disagreements related to the classification of tomatoes. Even though tomatoes do not have the necessary sugar levels needed to be classified as a fruit, in botanical terms, tomato is very much a fruit. Tomatoes are grown in the ovary part of a flower and also have dozens of seeds. These are the two necessary factors that distinguish a fruit from a vegetable and tomatoes certainly fulfil both of them.
* Cucumber
Cucumber is a refreshing and aqueous member of the cucurbitaceae family. It has a very juicy flesh and is quite hydrating in nature. Very much like eggplants, cucumbers also come from one flower itself, which makes them fruits. Also undeniably, cucumbers have a lot of seeds which is another factor important enough to classify them as fruits. Many people also feel that after sprinkling some sugar on cucumbers, they give a very similar test to that of watermelon. As cucumbers and watermelon both belong to the gourd family, this certainly doesn't come as a surprise.
* Corn
Corn in its original form is covered with a lot of leaves, and looking at its husk from the inside, one would assume that it's a vegetable. However, looking at the corn kernels most people think that it's a grain. But botanically speaking, corn is a fruit. It is truly one of the most deceptive fruits as one can never have an accurate idea of its botanical origin. Logically speaking, corn can be classified into all three categories: grain, vegetable and fruit. The cob of corn grows in the lower part of the corn plant which classifies corn as a fruit. However, the yellow kernels make it a grain. Because of its taste, many people would think that it's a vegetable.
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* Peppers
The very idea of fruit evokes an image of something citrusy, bright and sweet. However, it is out of the question to categorise something fiery and spicy as a fruit. But when it comes to the botanical world, there is nothing such as impossible. Most of the peppers are fruits. The yellow, green, red, and orange bell peppers, all of them are categorised as fruits. Although these have very little or negligible capsaicin, they certainly do not have any fruit-like tendencies. However, because of the seeds and the fact that they are obtained from the ovary of a plant, they are categorised as fruits.
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* Olives
Olives are used as a topping on a lot of different types of food to give an instant flavour. Although many people love eating olives in different forms, it is not a very frequently discussed fruit. Yes, you read that right, olives are fruits and not vegetables. Many people have never seen raw olives because they're unfit for consumption. Olives have to go through a long harvesting process before they're fit for consumption as they are naturally quite inedible and bitter. However, in true essence, olives are very much fruits because they're obtained from tree blossoms.
