Is a banana a fruit?

Is a banana a fruit?

Both. A banana (the yellow thing you peel and eat) is undoubtedly a fruit (containing the seeds of the plant: see 'Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?), though since commercially grown banana plants are sterile, the seeds are reduced to little specks.

Are gourds poisonous to humans?

Part of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes squash, watermelons and cucumbers, gourds are not toxic to humans, though those sold for decoration may need a good wash before being consumed.

Is carrot a fruit?

Although they have a subtle sweet taste, carrots are still considered veggies. Although tomatoes are typically touted as a vegetable, the juicy red orbs are technically a fruit — which might leave you wondering about the other brightly colored plant foods nestled in your refrigerator.

Are pumpkins a berry?

According to Foodbeast, a berry is a "Fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary." Pumpkins aren't alone in this. … AVOCADOS ARE BERRIES.

What is pumpkin good for?

Eating pumpkin is good for the heart. The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C content in pumpkin all support heart health. Studies suggest that consuming enough potassium may be almost as important as decreasing sodium intake for the treatment of hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Are bananas berries?

They are derived from a single flower with more than one ovary, making them an aggregate fruit. True berries are simple fruits stemming from one flower with one ovary and typically have several seeds. … But no, they're actually considered a berry, too—with one, giant seed. So, bananas are berries and raspberries aren't.

Is broccoli a fruit?

Vegetables are usually grouped according to the portion of the plant that is eaten such as leaves (lettuce), stem (celery), roots (carrot), tubers (potato), bulbs (onion) and flowers (broccoli). A fruit is the mature ovary of a plant. So a tomato is botanically a fruit but is commonly considered a vegetable.

Is corn a fruit?

Corn seed is actually a vegetable, a grain, and a fruit. Corn seed is a vegetable because it is harvested for eating. (Usually sweet corn when grain is harvested at the milk stage.) Corn seed is a grain because it is a dry seed of a grass species.

Is watermelon a gourd?

Loosely considered a type of melon (although not in the genus Cucumis), watermelon has a smooth exterior rind and a juicy, sweet interior flesh. Watermelon is a member of the cucurbitaceae plant family of gourds (classified as Citrullus lantus), related to the cucumber, squash, and pumpkin (Maynard, 2001).

Are gourds poisonous to dogs?

Gourds are part of the plant family Cucurbitaceae and are considered generally safe for dogs to eat. … Sparse anecdotal evidence exists of dogs becoming sick after eating this squash. As always, if you have any doubts about a food's safety, don't feed it to your dog.

Is a pickle a fruit?

Technically, pickles may be considered both a fruit and a vegetable. While they are made from cucumbers, which are a vegetable, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled them a ‘fruit of the vine’ because of their seeds.

What can you use gourds for?

Some gourds are put to culinary application, but most are used in the form of a vessel; think bowls, bottles, yerba mate cups, musical instruments, and birdhouses. Winter squash is used more for food than decoration.

What is another word for gourd?

gourd vine Cucurbitaceae family Cucurbitaceae Momordica charantia melon vine melon Missouri gourd balsam apple gourd family prairie gourd vine vine bottle gourd wild pumpkin touch-me-not calabash Ecballium elaterium balsam pear prairie gourd squirting cucumber buffalo gourd Lagenaria siceraria calabazilla Momordica …

Is okra a fruit?

All but one person said string beans were a vegetable and most (30) said squash is a vegetable. Avocadoes, string beans, squash, eggplant, green pepper and okra are all technically fruits, Litt says. On the other hand, rhubarb is not a fruit. … So the ovary will develop into the fruit.

Is a coconut a fruit?

Botanically speaking, a coconut is a fibrous one-seeded drupe, also known as a dry drupe. However, when using loose definitions, the coconut can be all three: a fruit, a nut, and a seed.

Are there poisonous gourds?

The fruit and roots contain cucurbitacins, a group of triterpenoid glycosides that imparts a very bitter taste, and that can be poisonous in high concentrations. Cucurbitacins are produced by all members of the squash family, but they have been greatly reduced in domesticated squashes and cucumbers.

How are pumpkins harvested?

Pumpkins are ready to harvest when they have reached the desired color and the rind is hard. You can test its readiness by jabbing your fingernail against the outer skin, or rind. … When harvesting, use a sharp knife to cut the pumpkin from the vine, leaving about 2 inches of stem.

Do vegetables have seeds?

Most vegetables (e.g. bean pods, squashes, tomatoes) are the non-sweet fruits of flowering plants, which means that they have seeds in them because they evolved as seed-bearing structures. … But such vegetables have seeds. Vegetables that are not fruits (e.g. broccoli, asparagus) don't have seeds.

Are warty pumpkins edible?

While unsightly, mosaic afflicted pumpkins can still be eaten, although they may be of lesser quality than unaffected fruit. Insects munching on tender young pumpkin shells can also scar the surface resulting in bumps. Cucumber beetles are usually the culprits here and can afflict all the cucurbits in your garden.

Is Pineapple a fruit?

The pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical plant with an edible fruit, also called a pineapple, and the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae.

What vegetable family is pumpkin?

Here's a list of common vegetables in the "starchy" category: corn, peas, potatoes, zucchini, parsnips, pumpkin, butternut squash and acorn squash. The non-starchy vegetables category is much larger and includes veggies like spinach, celery, broccoli, radishes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and beets.

How do you know when gourds are ready to pick?

Some varieties of Lagenaria and Luffa gourds are edible when they are green or immature. Harvest gourds after they have fully ripened on the vine. A hardened shell and withered vine indicate maturity and readiness for harvest. Cut the gourd from the vine with one to two inches of stem attached.

How do you make gourds?

The strawberry is not, from a botanical point of view, a berry. Technically, it is an aggregate accessory fruit, meaning that the fleshy part is derived not from the plant's ovaries but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries.

Who invented pumpkin spice?

Up until 50 years ago pumpkin spice was virtually unheard of. That's when McCormick began selling their blend of nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and allspice, which they dubbed Pumpkin Spice.

Is eggplant a gourd?

Fact: While it's generally thought of as a vegetable, eggplant is actually a fruit. The eggplant, aubergine, melongene, brinjal or guinea squash is a plant of the family Solanaceae. Eggplant is grown for its usually egg-shaped fleshy fruit and is eaten as a cooked vegetable. Some even consider it a berry.