One reason plants make fruit is so they can disperse their seeds. Legally, according to laws passed by the U.S. Congress, it is a vegetable. Most people would consider a tomato a vegetable. Is a tomato a fruit or vegetable? In the 1893 case of Nix v. Hedden , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, for purposes of the Tariff Act of March 3, 1883, tomatoes are vegetables. So an easy way to remember if something is a fruit or not is to check if it has seeds. In the culinary sense, the Rhubarb is a fruit, but the tomato is a vegetable. Some plants have a soft part which supports the seeds and is also called a 'fruit', though it is not developed from the ovary: … Is tomato a fruit or a vegetable is a non-issue. But, technically, it's actually a fruit. And why is it a fruit? Settling the debate, once and for all. Botanically, a fruit is a ripened flower ovary and contains seeds. Scientifically speaking, a tomato is definitely a fruit. Get the latest from TODAY. The question of whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable actually made it all the way to the United States Supreme Court! Why is it that a tomato is a fruit yet we use it as a vegetable in cooking and in salad? Some might be shocked to learn a zucchini is a fruit, too. Of course, some fleshy parts of the plant are also considered as fruits, like rhubarb. So which is it, a fruit or a vegetable? Has there ever been a more divisive food than the tomato? There are two definitions for a fruit. It's a sauce. No it's not. The classical vegetable/fruit story is the tetchy tale of the tomato. Since a tomato protects and contains the seeds of its host plant, the juicy sphere is technically a fruit. What makes these fruit fruit? When you take a bite into a juicy tomato, all those seeds inside tell you the truth: it’s a fruit! This commonly asked question actually has two answers between botanists and legal experts. Why is tomato a fruit? Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Of course, some fleshy parts of the plant are also considered as fruits, like rhubarb. Why is tomato a fruit? General or culinary classifications, however, tend to differ from the botanical one. Since a tomato protects and contains the seeds of its host plant, the juicy sphere is technically a fruit. Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? The bottom line is that tomatoes are both fruits and vegetables—fruits by science and vegetables by cooking tradition. Even the Supreme Court has weighed in on how tomatoes should be classified. The scientific name of tomato is Solanum lycopersicum, a fruit known for its extensive use in culinary arts. Tomato is the nation's fourth most popular fresh-market vegetable behind potatoes, lettuce, and onions. There are two definitions for a fruit. Solanum lycopersicum (or formerly, Lycopersicon esculentum) is a perennial plant in the nightshade genus (Solanaceae), usually multi-branched, spreading as far as six feet and is most frequently recumbent, however some forms of tomato plant are smaller and remain upright. Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Solanum lycopersicum (or formerly, Lycopersicon esculentum) is a perennial plant in the nightshade genus (Solanaceae), usually multi-branched, spreading as far as six feet and is most frequently recumbent, however some forms of tomato plant are smaller and remain upright. Is a tomato a fruit or vegetable? Tomatoes are fruits that are considered vegetables by nutritionists. For some reason, people got hung up on tomatoes, but the “fruit or vegetable” question could also work for any vegetable with seeds.