The term “fruit” has several meanings. To a botanist, it means the part of a plant that contains seeds. According to this definition, fruits include most nuts, as well as vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes.
To most of us, though, “fruit” is defined as the soft, edible, seed-bearing part of a perennial plant. A perennial is a plant that lives for more than one growing season. Fresh fruits are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They can be preserved by freezing, canning, or drying.
Different fruits grow in different climates, and may not grow well in climates that are too cold, hot, dry, or wet. Based on the kind of climate in which they grow, fruits can be classified in different groups: temperate fruits, subtropical fruits, and tropical fruits.
Temperate fruits grow best where there is a well-defined cold season, as in the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. Temperate fruits include apples, berries, grapes, pears, plums, and peaches.
Subtropical fruits thrive where temperatures are mostly warm year-round. The area around the Mediterranean Sea has a subtropical climate. Citrus fruits, such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits, dates, pomegranates, and some types of avocadoes, are subtropical fruits.
Tropical fruits require a hot climate to grow. Tropical fruits, such as bananas, mangoes, and papayas, grow in hot, humid areas like the Philippines.
Vegetables are the edible parts of herbaceous plants. Herbaceous plants, sometimes just called herbs, have stems that are softer and less woody than those of trees and shrubs. Vegetables are good sources of fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Most vegetables are annuals, living for only one growing season.
Vegetables can be roots, leaves, stems, seeds, or bulbs. For example, carrots, radishes, and beets are roots. Cabbage, celery, lettuce, and spinach are leaves or leafstalks. Heads of broccoli are flower stalks topped by thick clusters of flower buds. Asparagus is a stem. Cucumbers, eggplants, and tomatoes contain the seeds of the plant. Garlic, leeks, and onions are bulbs.
Some plants, called tubers, have a special type of underground stem that can be eaten fresh as a vegetable or used as an ingredient in other dishes. In temperate regions, the most important tuber is the potato. The potato was first a food staple to indigenous cultures of the Andes of South America. Today, major potato-growing countries include Russia, China, and Poland.
Important tropical tubers include yams, cassavas, and taros. These tubers are staple foods in many cultures. For instance, taro is a major food crop of the islands of Polynesia, as well as West Africa. Cassava is a staple food for more than 500 million people in Africa and Latin America.
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