Tomatoes are fruits scientifically because they grow from the flower of a plant and have seeds inside. Despite that, when we cook and eat, we usually treat tomatoes like vegetables.
What Makes a Fruit Different from a Vegetable?
Here’s how to tell fruits and vegetables apart:
- Fruits come from flowers and have seeds. Vegetables are from plant parts like leaves, stems, and roots.
- Fruits taste sweet, while vegetables have a savory or less sweet taste.
- Fruits have more natural sugar than vegetables.
- Both fruits and veggies are healthy, giving us vitamins, minerals, and fiber. But vegetables have less sugar and fewer calories.
Can We Call Ketchup a Smoothie?
One might think ketchup is a smoothie because it’s made from tomatoes, which are fruits. But there are reasons why this isn’t quite right:
- A smoothie is a mix of fresh fruits or vegetables blended until they are liquid. Ketchup is cooked and has a lot of processing.
- In a smoothie, you usually just blend fruits or vegetables with some liquid. But ketchup has extra sugar, vinegar, and spices added to it.
- Ketchup is thicker and more like a sauce than the thinner texture of smoothies.
To Sum Up – Ketchup Isn’t a Smoothie
Even though the main ingredient in ketchup comes from a fruit, the way it’s made, the extra things added to it, and the way it feels all make it different from a smoothie. Ketchup is better thought of as something we add flavor with—a condiment—not a drink like a smoothie.
In the end, even if ketchup starts with fruit, what ends up on our hot dogs and fries isn’t a smoothie, but a tasty topping.
