9 Common Foods You Call Vegetables Are Actually Fruits

In everyday kitchen life, the difference between may seem obvious. But nature has a way of blurring the lines between these two food categories. Get ready to be surprised because we’re revealing some common foods that you always thought were vegetables, are technically fruits. This confusion arises because some foods, although biologically classified as fruits, are primarily used in savory dishes as vegetables. Botanically, a fruit develops from the ovary of a flowering plant and contains seeds, while vegetables encompass other parts of plants such as roots, leaves, and stems. It is not necessary that all fruits are sweet and all vegetables are tasty.

Also read:5 things to keep in mind while cleaning vegetables and fruits

Here are 9 vegetables that are actually fruits:

1. Cucumber

Although cucumbers may look like a regular vegetable, they are actually fruits. Because of their high water content and crisp texture, cucumbers are a refreshing addition to salads and summer dishes. They provide a cooling effect, making them ideal for hot days.

Cucumber is a hydrating food, which is mostly used in salads.
Photo Credit: Pixabay

2. Tomato

The common tomato, widely mistaken for a vegetable, is actually a fruit. It grows from the ovary of the flower, its juicy pulp containing the plant’s seeds. This vibrant spicy food not only enhances salads, sauces and sandwiches but also fills them with antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients.

3. Brinjal

Known for its fleshy texture and ability to absorb flavours, brinjal (or brinjal) is surprisingly a fruit. If you cut open an brinjal and look carefully, you will find many small seeds in its pulp. This makes it a fruit belonging to the berry family, not a vegetable.

Also read: Soak Your Way to Better Digestion: 7 Foods That Should Be Soaked in Water

4. Capsicum

Peppers, whether red, green or yellow, belong to the fruit family. Although their culinary use may disguise them as vegetables, botanically, they fall under the category of fruits. Nevertheless, capsicum is packed with flavor and nutritional benefits.

5. Ladyfinger

Astonished? Yes, your beloved ladyfinger is biologically a fruit! Okra is the soft green, edible seed pod of a flowering plant. Due to its thin shape it is also known as “Ladies’ Fingers”. Nevertheless, it is used as a vegetable to make delicious savory dishes like crispy okra.

6. Avocado

Creamy, rich and undeniably delicious, avocados are closer to being fruits than vegetables. Technically classified as a single-seed berry, avocados are the mature ovaries of flowers. Popular for its healthy fats and nutritional value, avocado’s buttery green flesh enhances our meals like avocado toast and guacamole.

7. Green Peas

Don’t let their green color fool you! Peas are not a vegetable but small round seeds found in legume fruits. These beans develop from pea flowers and belong to the plant species Pisum sativum.

8. Pumpkin

Did you know that pumpkin is actually a fruit? It is filled with seeds, just like other fruits, and has a subtle sweet flavor derived from the plant. Plus, pumpkins are so versatile that they can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.

9. Olive

Olives are a staple of Mediterranean cuisine and we often find them in our pizzas and salads. But you should know that olives are the fruits of the olive tree. They are formed from the ovary of the olive flower and contain small pits, which are seeds.

Also read: 7 Amazing Ways to Reuse Leftover Vegetable and Fruit Peels

Even after knowing this, we will still use these food items as vegetables but isn’t it good to know the truth?