Tomato: Fruit or Vegetable

               The tomato is a favorite fruit (or vegetable) in the United States.  It comes in a variety of shapes and colors including red, yellow, green and even purple!  The vibrant colors of tomatoes are what make it a super food.  The pigment that causes these colors is an antioxidant called lycopene.  Research has suggested that lycopene can help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease.  Canned tomatoes and sauces actually have higher absorption rates of lycopene compared to fresh tomatoes due to the canning process.  Just make sure you are choosing low sodium versions of the sauces.  Tomatoes are also excellent sources of vitamin C and vitamin A.  They are low calorie as well with about 35 calories per cup!

               So is a tomato a fruit or vegetable?  The answer is technically both.  Scientifically, a tomato is a fruit because it is the fleshy ripened ovary of a plant.    However, in the United States a tomato is a vegetable by law.  It started in 1883 when congress passed a law taxing imported vegetables to protect domestic farmers.  A large importer of tomatoes was charged this tax on his tomatoes because the customs official thought they were a vegetable.  The resulting legal battle went all the way up to the Supreme Court.  In 1893, the US Supreme Court ruled that for trade purposes in the Unites States a tomato would be classified as a vegetable and the tax would apply.  So if you are in the US, a tomato is technically a vegetable!