Even as children we learn to divide fruit and vegetables. Here you can find out which criteria are used to differentiate between these two groups.
If we have an apple and a cucumber in front of us, we intuitively divide them into fruit and vegetables. But how do we actually make this difference? The subdivision is culturally determined and includes not only botanical similarities, but also other criteria that we have summarized for you here.
There are different ways to classify fruit and vegetables. This means what falls under fruit in one division may be vegetable in another. To give you an overview, we have summarized the various subdivisions with examples below.
Botanical subdivision of fruits and vegetables
According to botany, fruit comes from a pollinated flower, i.e. the fruit. This includes all common types of fruit such as apples, pears or cherries. According to the botanical subdivision, all fruit vegetables of the pumpkin family, tomatoes, peas, beans and peppers are also counted as fruit. However, seedless grapes, pineapples and bananas develop without any fertilization, this process is also known as parthenocarpy or virgin fruitiness. According to this definition, they do not count as fruit at all. Plants that use the leaves, stems, roots, bulbs or tubers are therefore vegetables.
Distinction according to use
When using fruit or vegetables, there are a few differentiating points, but they often flow into one another. First of all, fruit is usually eaten raw and vegetables mostly cooked. However, this definition already reaches its limits when it comes to quince, which is inedible in its raw form. In addition, fruit has a pleasant sweet or sour taste when raw, while vegetables are generally flavored with spices. But many classic vegetables such as carrots are also eaten raw and have a pleasant taste. Last but not least, fruit is generally prepared sweet, as a mush, casserole or cake. So the question arises, is rhubarb after all?Fruit?
The sugar content as an indicator
Fruit is generally perceived as having a sweet taste and consequently more sugar than vegetables. Honeydew melons are therefore also fruit. Avocados, however, manage to contain barely 0.2 grams of sugar per 100 grams and would therefore probably be counted as a vegetable. Rhubarb is prepared sweet, but itself has just one gram of sugar per 100 grams. Sweetcorn and peas would easily overtake lemons here. And the inconspicuous beetroot can even compete with the peaches in terms of sugar content. When it comes to distinguishing between fruit and vegetables, there seems little point in settling on a specific value.
Distinction between perennial and annual
The most common classification according to the food definition is based on lifespan. Fruits include plants that are several years old and bear fruit several times. This traditionally includes all of our fruit trees, but also currants, figs and citrus trees. However, avocado, artichoke, rhubarb and asparagus also fall under this category, even if sprouts are sometimes used instead of fruit. On the other hand, annual plants such as cucumbers, tomatoes, as well as leafy and root vegetables that can be sown anew every year or harvested only once are classified as vegetables.
Fruit or vegetables: our conclusion
To date, there is still no clear scientific definition of exactly what counts as fruit or vegetables. In addition, the two groups also have a lot in common; This is probably what makes it so difficult to find an exact classification. It doesn't matter whether it's fruit or vegetables: they all contain many important vitamins, minerals and fiber, which is the most important thing for a he althy diet anyway.