When it comes to the opinion of chefs around the world, cucumbers are vegetables. Fruits contain the seeds of the plant. First, what is a cucumber? Cucumber is a fruit or vegetable – Cucumber is a fruit. It is commonly included in salads, stir-frys, and other common recipes for vegetables, rather than for fruits. What it comes down to isn't sweetness, but seeds. Cucumber is a vegetable, but there is some truth to it being a fruit actually. Fruits are more likely to be featured in desserts, jams, smoothies, or other sweeter dishes. Vegetables are from all the other parts. cucumber is legally a vegetable. Technically it's a 'gourd'. Cucumber has become a familiar guest on our table. Once upon a time, the Supreme Court had a say in whether a cucumber (and tomatoes and other botanical fruits) was actually a vegetable. Cucumber: is it a fruit or a vegetable? However, as it grows from flowers and contains seeds, it’s botanically a fruit. Botanically, fruits are defined as a ripened ovary (fleshy product of a tree or plant) that contains seeds from one or more flowers. Something very rigorous. vegetable offensive. Fruit vs. vegetable Venn diagram (Image credit: Public domain). It might not surprise you that taxes were at the heart of the matter. What makes them vegetables, too? Chaitra Anand. Please see my disclosure page for more information about cookies collected and our privacy policy. Cantaloupes (definitely a fruit) are also in that genus, according to the USDA. A cucumber is a vegetable because it belongs to the vegetable kingdom--i.e. Cucumber is a vegetable, but there is some truth to it being a fruit actually. Their less scientific criteria classifies fruits and vegetables based on sweetness and sugar content. Vegetables, on the other hand, are parts of the plant, whether they be leaves, stems or roots. A cucumber sprout with its first leaves. A cucumber sprout with its first leaves. Well, that depends based on who you are asking and what their criteria is for deciding. Even when they are bred to be seedless, they fit the botanical definition of fruit. … Learn why a pumpkin is a fruit and a strawberry is not a berry. Many Britons do not know the difference between a fruit and a vegetable, new research shows. Cucumber, pumpkins, string beans, eggplant, and so on are, by definition, fruits. The cucumber fruit grows from flowers just like any other fruit. Some things that are not your typical fruits – but are still 100% fruits – are nuts, coconuts, and legumes. Cucumber is a fruit, of the vine but is classified as a vegetable. This also means that lots of other “vegetables” are also fruits: beans, peppers, pumpkins, okra, and of course, tomatoes. How did the issue of a cucumber being either a fruit or vegetable make its way to the Supreme Court? It comprises of nutrients that are very beneficial for the human body, along with some plant compounds and antioxidants that contributes in the treatment and prevention of certain health related conditions. Is cucumber a fruit or vegetable, here’s the answer Last updated on - Jun 10, 2019, 12:06 IST Share fbshare twshare pinshare Comments ( 0 ) close Botanically speaking, a fruit is a fleshy seed-bearing food that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant. Under that definition, a cucumber is vegetable. Cucumbers are the fruit of the Cucumis sativus plant which is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. There is much debate about whether cucumber is a fruit or a vegetable. However, as it grows from flowers and contains seeds, it’s botanically a fruit. Some of those flowers have what looks like a baby cucumber at their base. What makes them fruits? Well, if the results of a recent survey for Gardening Express are anything to go by it seems there are a lot of people who are a little confused by which is which. It develops from the ovary of the flower and contains the seeds the plant needs to reproduce into future generation. We all know, biologically Cucumber is a fruit. In the kitchen there is a distinction made between fruits and vegetables based on when you eat them: – Everything that is eaten as an entrée or main course is a vegetable – Everything that is eaten as dessert is a fruit. A person with a dull or inactive life edible seeds or roots or stems or leaves or bulbs or tubers or nonsweet fruits of any of numerous herbaceous plant any of various herbaceous plants cultivated for an edible part such as the fruit or the root of the beet or the leaf of… Regardless of its fruit or vegetable status, there are countless ways to enjoy cucumber in your cooking or beauty routine. 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