Tomato is a fruit or vegetable: The classification of a tomato as a

The classification of a tomato as a fruit or a vegetable has been a long-standing debate among cooks, botanists, and everyday people. While many of us may think of tomatoes as a vegetable , the truth is that they are, in fact, a type of fruit. The tomato (US: / təˈmeɪtoʊ /, UK: / təˈmɑːtoʊ /; Solanum lycopersicum) is a plant whose fruit is an edible berry that is eaten as a vegetable . The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. The Science Behind It: A Tomato is a Fruit ! According to science, the tomato is, without a doubt, a fruit. Botanists (scientists who study plants) have a specific way of defining fruits and vegetables. Fruits are the part of the plant that develop from a flower and contain seeds. Tomatoes are fruits that are considered vegetables by nutritionists. Botanically, a fruit is a ripened flower ovary and contains seeds. Tomatoes, plums, zucchinis, and melons are all edible fruits, but things like maple “helicopters” and floating dandelion puffs are fruits too.