Let’s talk about the foods we eat!
Botanical vs. Culinary Classification
Botanical Classification:
- Based on the plant’s biological structure and reproductive features
- Scientifically rigorous and consistent across cultures
- Categorizes plant parts based on their function in the plant’s life cycle
- Example: Tomatoes are classified as fruits because they develop from the ovary of a flowering plant and contain seeds
Culinary Classification:
- Based on how the food is used and perceived in cooking and eating
- Can vary between cultures and culinary traditions
- Categorizes foods based on flavor profile, cooking methods, and role in meals
- Example: Tomatoes are typically used as vegetables in cooking due to their savory flavor and use in main courses
Key Differences:
- Purpose: Botanical classification serves scientific purposes, while culinary classification is practical for cooking and meal planning.
- Consistency: Botanical classification is more consistent globally, while culinary classification can vary regionally.
- Criteria: Botanical classification uses structural and genetic criteria, whereas culinary classification considers flavor, texture, and culinary use.
- Overlaps: Many plant foods have different botanical and culinary classifications, leading to common misconceptions (e.g., tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers are botanically fruits but culinarily vegetables).
This discrepancy between botanical and culinary classifications often leads to the familiar debate of whether certain foods are fruits or vegetables, highlighting the difference between scientific definition and practical usage in everyday life.
Fruit and Vegetable Vocabulary: A Guide to Plant Parts We Eat
For those of you who would like to know what the science words for the part of the plant you are eating:
Botanical Fruit Types and Plant Structures:
- Aggregate fruit: Formed from multiple ovaries of a single flower.
Examples: raspberries, blackberries, strawberries - Berry: A fleshy fruit with seeds embedded in the flesh, typically without a stone.
Examples: blueberries, tomatoes, grapes, bananas - Bulb: A short underground stem surrounded by fleshy leaves used for food storage.
Examples: onions, garlic - Capsule: A dry fruit that splits open when ripe to release its seeds.
Examples: poppy seeds, sesame seeds - Corm: A short, vertical, swollen underground stem used for food storage.
Examples: taro, water chestnut - Drupe: A fleshy fruit with a single seed surrounded by a hard shell (pit).
Examples: peaches, plums, cherries, olives - Flower bud: An undeveloped or unopened flower.
Examples: artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower - Fruit (general): The seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that develops from the ovary after flowering.
Examples: This includes all the specific fruit types mentioned here (drupes, berries, etc.) - Grain: A small, dry, one-seeded fruit of cereal grasses, often used as a food source.
Examples: wheat, rice, corn - Hesperidium: A specific type of berry with a leathery rind and juicy pulp divided into segments.
Examples: oranges, lemons, grapefruits - Leaf: The main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in plants.
Examples: lettuce, spinach, kale - Legume: A fruit that develops from a single carpel and typically splits along two seams.
Examples: peas, beans, peanuts - Multiple fruit: Developed from a cluster of separate flowers.
Examples: pineapples, figs - Nut: A dry, hard-shelled fruit containing a single seed.
Examples: acorns, chestnuts, hazelnuts - Pepo: A type of berry with a hard outer rind, seeds attached to the ovary wall.
Examples: cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelons - Pome: A fleshy fruit with a core containing seeds, derived from the flower’s receptacle.
Examples: apples, pears, quince - Rhizome: A horizontal underground stem that can produce shoots and roots.
Examples: ginger, turmeric - Root: The underground part of a plant that absorbs water and nutrients.
Examples: carrots, beets, radishes - Seed: The unit of reproduction of a flowering plant, capable of developing into another plant.
Examples: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds - Stem: The main body or stalk of a plant.
Examples: asparagus, celery, rhubarb - Tuber: A swollen underground stem used for food storage by the plant.
Examples: potatoes, yams
Armed with this knowledge, you can impress your friends with fun food facts at your next dinner party!
Fruits that are commonly considered vegetables
Some plants are botanically classified as fruits but are used culinarily as vegetables. This often leads to confusion. Examples include:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Bell peppers
- Eggplants
- Squash (including zucchini, pumpkins, butternut squash)
- Okra
- Avocados
- Green beans (including string beans and wax beans)
- Chili peppers
- Tomatillos
- Corn kernels (technically a fruit and a grain)
- Olives
- Peas (green peas, snow peas, snap peas)
These are all botanically classified as fruits because they develop from the ovary of flowering plants and contain seeds. However, they’re typically used in savory dishes and are treated as vegetables in cooking.
The distinction between fruits and vegetables is often blurred in culinary use, and many people are surprised to learn that some of their favorite “vegetables” are actually fruits from a botanical perspective. This discrepancy between botanical classification and culinary usage is a common source of confusion in discussions about food classification.
Is there any specific fruit-vegetable you’d like more information about? These are all fruits in botanical terms because they develop from the flower of the plant and contain seeds. However, they’re typically used in savory dishes and are treated as vegetables in cooking.
Roots: Vegetables vs. Herbs & Spices
Some edible roots are considered vegetables, while others are used as herbs or spices. This classification often depends on how they’re used in cooking:
Root vegetables used as main ingredients:
- Carrots
- Potatoes (including sweet potatoes and yams)
- Turnips
- Beets
- Parsnips
- Radishes
- Rutabagas
- Cassava (also known as yuca)
- Celeriac (celery root)
- Jicama
- Kohlrabi
- Daikon
- Salsify
- Taro
- Jerusalem Artichokes (sunchokes)
Root herbs & spices used primarily for flavorings:
- Ginger
- Tumeric
- Horseradish
- Galangal
- Wasabi
- Licorice root
- Maca
- Burdock root
- Angelica root
- Chicory root
- Garlic (while the bulb is used, it’s botanically a modified stem)
- Onions (also botanically a modified stem)
The distinction here is mainly based on quantity and purpose in cooking. Root vegetables are often used in larger amounts as substantial parts of a meal, while root herbs and spices are used in smaller quantities primarily for their intense flavors.
This overlap between categories demonstrates that culinary classifications don’t always align with botanical definitions, and usage often determines how we categorize these plants in everyday cooking.
It’s worth noting that some roots can be used both as main ingredients and as herbs/spices, depending on the quantity used and the culinary context. For example, garlic and onions are often used in large quantities as main ingredients, but can also be used in smaller amounts for flavoring.
Plants
Vegetables
Botanically Correct
Vegetables are edible parts of plants that are typically savory rather than sweet.
- This category includes leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and sometimes fruits that are used in savory dishes.
- Vegetables are usually the parts of the plant that don’t contain seeds, though there are exceptions (like peas).
- They’re often used as main ingredients in meals and are valued for their nutritional content.
Fruits
Botanically Correct
Fruits are typically the sweet or tart parts of plants that contain seeds.
In botanical terms, fruits are the mature ovaries of flowering plants.
- They often develop from flowers and are meant to distribute seeds.
- Many fruits we eat are sweet, but some culinary fruits like tomatoes and cucumbers are used as vegetables in cooking.
Herbs & Spices
Botanically Correct
Herbs and Spices are plant parts used primarily for flavoring food, rather than as main ingredients.
- Herbs are usually the leafy green parts of the plant.
- They can be used fresh or dried and often have mild to strong flavor.
- Examples include basil, chives, and parsley.
- Spices are typically made from other parts of plants, such as seeds, bark, roots, or fruits.
- They’re usually dired and have intense flavors.
- Examples include ginger, turmeric, and anise.
Both herbs and spices are used in small quantities to add flavor, aroma, and/or color to dishes.
Nuts & Seeds
Botanically Correct
Nuts and seeds are typically small, nutrient-dense plant products that are often eaten on their own as snacks or used in cooking to add flavor, texture, and nutritional value.
- Nuts are technically fruits consisting of a hard shell and an edible seed.
- They are usually high in healthy fats, protein, and various nutrients.
- Examples include almonds, walnuts, and pecans.
- Seeds are the small, edible products of plants that are used to grow new plants.
- They are often rich in protein, healthy fats, and various micronutrients.
- Examples include sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds.
- Some culinary nuts are botanically seeds or other plant parts.
- For example, peanuts are legumes, and pine nuts are seed kernels.
Both nuts and seeds are used in a variety of culinary applications, from snacking to baking, and as ingredients in both sweet and savory dishes. They can be eaten raw, roasted, or incorporated into other foods, and are valued for their flavor, texture, and nutritional benefits.