The arbitrary distinction between fruits and vegetables can be seen when examining some products that are erroneously included in one or another category by consumers. Thus, for example, tomatoes technically belong to the former type while they are not referred to as such (Miller, 2018). From the scientific perspective, they are clearly fruits as there are no vegetables with seeds, but this opinion is questioned by many people from other standpoints (Miller, 2018). The misconception stems from their taste which is not sweet and, therefore, tomatoes are almost never used for desserts (Miller, 2018). Their fleshy texture does not matter in this case because it can be attributed to both types of products. Similarly, green beans are supposed to be vegetables, whereas they are fruits with seeds, crisp texture, and a grassy taste (Miller, 2018). Despite the changing legislation in this regard, these foods are still considered as ingredients for salty dishes (Miller, 2018). Therefore, tomatoes and green beans are fruits viewed by people as vegetables and used accordingly.
In contrast to this case, there are different products that are vegetables but believed to be fruits. One of the most interesting examples of these ingredients frequently used in cooking recipes is avocados. According to Miller (2018), they are technically “a single-seeded, oversized berry,” and this definition means that they belong to this group of foods leading to misconceptions. These fruits are highly nutritious and have sweet and savory flesh and oily texture, which are other determining characteristics in their classification. Another product with similar features is an eggplant, as it is also considered a berry while being used as a vegetable (Miller, 2018). It does not resemble fruits and is added to salty dishes due to its sweet and bitter taste and firm texture.
Reference
Miller, Z. (2018). 10 ‘fruits’ that are technically vegetables – and vice versa. The Insider. Web.