Tomato?Fruit or Vegatable?

Question

I think it is a vegtable

Answer 1

It's both. The word "vegetable" doesn't have a scientific or botanical definition, it's just an arbitrary word to describe some of the plants that people eat. The word "fruit" DOES have a botanical definition - it's the ripened ovary of a flowering plant. Since people call tomatoes vegetables, they're vegetables, and since a tomato is the ripened ovary of a flowering plant, it's a fruit. Since "vegetable" doesn't have a specific definition, there's no reason that a plant can't be both.

Answer 2

"Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

The confusion about 'fruit' and 'vegetable' arises because of the differences in usage between scientists and cooks. Scientifically speaking, a tomato is definitely a fruit. True fruits are developed from the ovary in the base of the flower, and contain the seeds of the plant (though cultivated forms may be seedless). Blueberries, raspberries, and oranges are true fruits, and so are many kinds of nut. Some plants have a soft part which supports the seeds and is also called a 'fruit', though it is not developed from the ovary: the strawberry is an example. As far as cooking is concerned, some things which are strictly fruits may be called 'vegetables' because they are used in savoury rather than sweet cooking. The tomato, though technically a fruit, is often used as a vegetable, and a bean pod is also technically a fruit. The term 'vegetable' is more generally used of other edible parts of plants, such as cabbage leaves, celery stalks, and potato tubers, which are not strictly the fruit of the plant from which they come. Occasionally the term 'fruit' may be used to refer to a part of a plant which is not a fruit, but which is used in sweet cooking: rhubarb, for example. So a tomato is the fruit of the tomato plant, but can be used as a vegetable in cooking."

Answer 3

A tomato is a fruit, it has seeds.
Even check the seed catalogues
they are listed as a fruit.
There are a number of fruits that
are in with the vegtables.

Answer 4

I have always considered it a vegetable. However, I was watching the green grocer on the news and he definitely said that a tomato is a fruit.

Answer 5

Tomato is a fruit. I know for a fact, I remember from school. Here is proof that it's a fruit.

Answer 6

Many fruits aren't sweet (lemons, limes, etc.), but the tomato is a fruit because it contains seeds to propagate the plant... vegetables don't contain the seeds of the plant.

Answer 7

If it has seeds, it is a fruit. Fruits do not have to be sweet all the time. Fruits=seeds vegetable=no seeds. Tomato is a fruit because it has seeds.

Answer 8

Fruit. Without a doubt.

Although it is treated like a vegetable.

Answer 9

Vegetable for sure. It's not sweet like a fruit.

Answer 10

i think it would better if you eat more fruits and vegetables. but anyway tomato is a fruit so it's ok if you have the 3 of them... afterall, its full of vitamins and minerals!!