Fruits and vegetables: where they grow
Biology · Early Years · The School
Which part are we eating?
A carrot is a ROOT. Roots grow down in the soil. They drink water there. Spinach is a LEAF. Celery is a STEM. A stem usually holds a plant up. So a vegetable is really one PART of a plant. It helps to know which part you are eating. Look at your plate. Name the part.
What makes something a fruit
A FRUIT grows from the plant's flower. A fruit holds seeds inside. That is the real test. It is not about how sweet something tastes. An apple grew from a flower. It is full of seeds. So it is a fruit. A pea pod is the same. So is a tomato.
The tricky ones
A tomato tastes savoury. Most people call it a vegetable, in cooking. But check the real test. Did it grow from a flower? Yes. Does it hold seeds? Yes. So a tomato really is a FRUIT. The same is true for a cucumber. The same is true for a pepper too.
CARROT: grows underground, no flower, no seeds. A ROOT. SPINACH: a flat green LEAF. CELERY: a crunchy STEM. APPLE: grew from a flower, full of seeds. A FRUIT, and everyone already agrees. TOMATO: grew from a flower, full of tiny seeds inside. Also a FRUIT — even though people call it a vegetable in the kitchen. The test stays the same for all five. Which part of the plant is it? Did it grow from the flower, with seeds inside?