What is a Vegetable?
Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit, but wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. I mean, you can put whatever you want in yours – I'm not the fruit salad police – but I personally would feign an emergency to avoid eating a fruit salad with tomatoes in it.
Unfortunately, tomatoes probably aren't the only ingredient in your kitchen masquerading as something else, and figuring out how to classify everything can be a headache. Which vegetables are healthiest? Are potatoes vegetables? What about tomatoes? Beans? I've heard some vegetables belong to the nightshade family, so I avoid them altogether!
We'll go over the confusing etymology of green stuff (and red stuff, and even some yellow stuff) to help home chefs both new and experienced determine what "vegetable" really means.
The Importance of Defining Vegetables
According to Choose My Plate, fully half of our plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, and every nutritionist worth their broccoli will tell you that vegetables are a vital part of any nutritionally complete meal. However, the very term "vegetable" can be confusing.
Part of the uncertainty derives from the origin of the word – "vegetable" comes from a Latin word, vegetabilis, and has been used to refer to any plant grown for food. However, it can also be used broadly in scientific and technical contexts to mean "related to plants," such as in the phrase "vegetable matter." By these definitions, fruits are vegetables, as are beans, herbs, and spices.
There are different definitions of vegetable in different fields. When chefs and dieticians talk about vegetables, they're referring to specific styles of edible plant but when botanists refer to vegetables, they're talking about the scientific organization of living things. Both these definitions can exist at the same time, but it's important to maintain the distinction when discussing what counts as a vegetable come dinnertime.
What's the difference between a fruit and a vegetable in a botanical sense?
For botanists and other science-minded people, fruits are seed-bearing structures that grow from the ovary of a flowering plant – which isn't something most chefs consider when choosing what to include in that problematic fruit salad. Vegetables are composed of all the other parts of plants that can be eaten, including steams, roots, and leaves. This means, botanically speaking (which is one of the best ways of speaking), tomatoes and squash are fruits, not vegetables.
What's the difference between fruits and vegetables in a nutritional sense?
This is the definition that matters more to most of us – when planning out a menu, or simply deciding what to have for dinner, we need to know what dieticians and nutritionists mean when they say fill half our plate with vegetables. Choose My Plate recommends 1 to 3 cups of vegetables every day, depending on the age, sex, and activity level of the person. Vegetables here consist of:
- Dark green vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach
- Orange and red vegetables, such as tomatoes and carrots
- Legumes, such as beans and peas
- Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn
- Other vegetables, such as cucumbers, onions, and mushrooms
Choose My Plate recommends consuming some vegetables from each category over the course of the week, but you don't have to try to eat all of them in one meal, or even one day. These different categories of vegetable provide vastly different nutritional benefits, and you need to cover all your bases to ensure you're not missing out on the nutrients your body needs to keep you functioning at your best – or at least as well as you can on that particular day.
Is This a Vegetable?
My wife tells me that mint chocolate ice cream doesn't count as a vegetable (and not just because mint is an herb), but what about tomatoes? Potatoes? Beans? Are there loopholes in our nutritional guidelines?
Unfortunately, even if you find semantic loopholes, the only person you're defeating is yourself. Regardless of wordplay, your body needs vegetables of all sorts to function properly, so you can't simply pick one favorite and binge on it to meet your requirements.
Are potatoes vegetables?
Yes! And they're amazing. They fall in the starchy vegetables category, so they aren't the only vegetable you're going to need in a week. They're also high in carbohydrates and calories, especially when compared to veggies such as broccoli. While they do provide nutrients such as vitamin C and Potassium, they also fill some of the same roles that food such as bread or rice does. Potatoes are vegetables, but they should only be a part of daily or weekly vegetables – they can't carry the torch alone.
Sidenote: French fries don't count, and you know that.
Are tomatoes vegetables?
Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit. Culinarily, tomatoes are a vegetable. Because they're savory plants, chefs typically use them as vegetables, though they do have some of the sweetness associated with fruit. Tomatoes fall in the red and orange vegetable group, and so provide a different range of nutritional benefits than potatoes do. Tomatoes are a great way to add flavor and nutritional value to your meals without adding too many calories, unless you're using ketchup or similar tomato paste that has had tons of sugar added to it.
Sidenote: The Supreme Court ruled that tomatoes count as vegetables when it comes to their culinary use, after a farmer tried to get out of paying higher vegetable taxes.
Are beans vegetables?
Also yes! If you can believe it, beans fall into the legume category of vegetable. Many of the species found in this group are high in protein, which makes them a wonderful substitute for animal products. Beans are typically lower in fat and cholesterol than meat and poultry, and as such can be a healthy alternative for anyone who needs to watch those quantities or is seeking a vegetarian diet.
Sidenote: Buying dried beans rather than canned ones can help cut down on sodium and other additives for a healthier final product.
What About Cruciferous, Root, and Nightshade Vegetables?
Besides being the type of plant you might expect to pick up in a video game, these are specific families of vegetables that you may have come across in your culinary adventures.
What are cruciferous vegetables?
Cruciferous vegetables are a family of leafy greens – named so intimidatingly for the fact that their leaves form the shape of a cross, or crucifix – that includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. They're high in vitamin C and soluble fiber and contain lots of good nutrients.
What are root vegetables?
Root vegetables are the first ingredient in this blog that are named clearly and accurately. These include potatoes, yams, carrots, turnips, and beets, and have a wide range of uses and differing nutritional values. Many of the starchier root vegetables are staples in some areas of the world, such as cassava in parts of Africa or taro in Hawaii.
What are nightshade vegetables?
You may have heard the phrase nightshade vegetables used in overly dramatic tones because nightshade is also the name of a poison used in antiquity (and wow did those guys love poison) but these veggies only coincidentally fall into the same category.
Popular vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, and bell peppers all fall into the nightshade family, and the only thing you need to watch out for is adding an extra E when making them plural. The nightshade plant can be poisonous, but the family itself is so varied that the name alone shouldn't worry you. There are claims bouncing around that nightshades can have negative effects on people with autoimmune diseases, or people with inflammatory bowel disease, but we only recommend talking to your doctor if you have concerns about your ability to process these vegetables.
Wow, That's Way More Than I Asked For
Hey, when I answer a question, it stays answered. It turns out that yes, all of these borderline plants such as potatoes, beans, and peas do count as vegetables, but that doesn't change the fact that we need leafy greens, broccoli, and all manner of other veggies in our diet. If you were hoping that I would teach you a secret way to only eat meat and sugar, I'm sorry – I was hopeful at the beginning, too. The good news is, our planet contains a wonderful variety of plants, so no matter what you prefer, you'll be able to find a veggie and style of cooking that appeals to you. All you need is an open mind and a sturdy fork.
