Is A Tomato A Citrus Fruit? [A Big Confusion]

Is A Tomato A Citrus Fruit? [A Big Confusion]

Tomato is not citrus fruit because tomato belongs to the Solanaceae family. In contrast, Citrus fruits belong to the family Rutaceae. 

Examples of citrus fruits include oranges and lemons.

Examples of the Solanaceae family, which tomato originated from, are popular plants such as potatoes, eggplants, and peppers.

Tomatoes contain vitamin C. Citrus fruits also contain vitamin C. All the nutrients are contained in tomato lycopene, beta-carotene, and potassium.

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Are Tomatoes Citrus Fruits?

Tomatoes are not citrus because they belong to the nightshade family, also known as the nightshade family.

Which includes peppers, potatoes, and eggplants.

The edible part of the tomato fruit is botanically classified as a berry because of its size, fleshy flesh, and numerous seeds that develop from a single flower with an ovary.

On the other hand, citrus fruits are part of the root family. Citrus fruits include oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and tangerines.

All citrus fruits have an inedible peel that must be removed to get to the fleshy parts inside. Citrus fruits are also very aromatic.

Confusion can arise because both types of fruit are sour and juicy, and tomatoes have a slightly acidic taste. 

Although many people think of tomatoes as a vegetable, they are technically a fruit, according to Cooking Louisiana.

One defining factor that proves tomatoes are not citrus is that citrus grows on evergreen trees, while tomatoes grow on vines. 

Although citrus plants can technically be considered perennials, tomatoes are grown annually.

However, tomato and citrus fruit differ quite a bit in botanical classification, characteristics, and culinary use. 

While citrus fruits include oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits, Tomatoes are more closely related to other plants, such as potatoes, eggplants, and peppers.

Tomatoes may reduce the risk of macular degeneration because they prevent the oxidation of serum lipids. 

The fruit is also high in lycopene, an antioxidant that helps lower the chance of prostate, cervical, colon, and rectal cancer.

Tomatoes are usually deep red when ripe, their shape is round or slightly oblong, and they have good-looking smooth, glossy skin. 

Tomatoes are usually soft when ripe and can easily break.

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What Type Of Fruit Is Tomato?

A tomato is an edible berry of the Solanum lycopersicum plant, commonly known as a tomato. 

The species originates from the western part of South America, Mexico, and Central America.

Tomatoes are classified explicitly as “fleshy fruits,” meaning they have a soft, edible part surrounding the seed.

In botanical classification, A botanist will classify a tomato based on the physiological characteristics of the plant, such as its structure, function, and organization. 

Thus, from a botanical point of view, a “fruit” is a seed-bearing product that grows from the ovary of a flowering plant.

In other words, a fruit is the way plants propagate their seeds.

In the botanical sense, fruit would have at least one seed and grow from the plant’s flower. 

With this definition in mind, tomatoes are classified as fruits because they contain tiny seeds in the middle and grow from the flower of the tomato plant.

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Conclusion

Tomato is not a citrus fruit; tomato belongs to the Solanaceae family, why citrus fruit belongs to the Rutaceae family.

It is essential to know that tomatoes are fruits and not vegetables. 

According to botanical classification, a fruit is any plant with at least one seed that grows from a flower.

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