<\/p>\n
Do berries count as fruit<\/strong><\/em><\/a>?<\/p>\n That may seem like a strange question\u2026after all, berries fit the generalized definition of fruit, i.e. the sweet, fleshy, seed-holding structure of a flowering plant. So why would there be any question about it?<\/p>\n What springs to mind when you hear the word, \u201cfruit?\u201d If you\u2019re like many Americans you\u2019ll think first of the fruits commonly found in your local produce section or in popular fruit gift boxes from Pittman & Davis: Navel Oranges, Grapefruits, Apples, and Pears. You might also think of common fruits you can buy locally that our fruit baskets do not contain, such as grapes, bananas, and kiwis, as well as the fruits we commonly think of when we think of berries (such as cranberries and blueberries).<\/p>\n As stated above, the general definition of a fruit refers to the reproductive organ of flowering plants whose main function is to distribute seeds to new areas where the plant may grow.<\/p>\n There are two main categories of fruit: fleshy and dry. Fleshy fruit is what we tend to think of when we think of fruit. Dry fruits<\/a> refer to nuts, coconuts, and legumes \u2013 foods that may surprise you to learn qualify as fruits!<\/p>\n There are three types of fleshy fruits: simple fleshy fruits, aggregate fleshy fruits, and multiple fleshy fruits. There are subcategories within these types, and berries are a subcategory of simple fleshy fruits.<\/p>\n Most people call any small, flesh fruit a berry. But in some cases the classification of a fruit as a berry is a colloquialism \u2013 you might be surprised to learn that many of the fruits that have \u201cberry\u201d right in the name aren\u2019t true berries at all. These include raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. These fruits actually are aggregate fruits<\/a>; that is, fruits that consist of a number of smaller fruits grown together. (It\u2019s funny to think of when you consider some fruit delivery services that specialize in berries as fruit to send identify strawberries as their most popular \u201cberry\u201d when it comes to fruit delivery!)<\/p>\n Just as it may surprise you to find that fruits you commonly think of berries are not berries, it may also surprise you to learn that some fruits you wouldn\u2019t guess are<\/em> berries. These include bananas, kiwis, grapes, tomatoes, avocados, and peppers. All of these fruits (including the ones we often think of as vegetables) qualify as berries because they are simple, fleshy fruits that develop from a flower with a single ovary and have soft skins, a fleshy middle, and small seeds.<\/p>\nWhat Makes a Fruit a Fruit?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What Makes a Berry a Fruit?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
To Sum Up<\/strong><\/h3>\n