One of these things is not like the others

Produce in disguise: 10 fruits and vegetables that are not what they seem

The classification of food can be challenging because it often relies on subjective criteria. Not everyone utilizes ingredients in the same way or for the same purposes, so how we see these items is influenced by cultural and social factors.

An example of this is what produce we consider to be a fruit, a vegetable, or a nut, which doesn’t always align with its botanical classification. Let’s look at some fruits and vegetables that are not what they seem to be.

Let’s start with a classic. Most people know that tomatoes are a fruit commonly used as a vegetable (The U.S. Supreme Court once had to rule on this due to customs regulations). They have seeds surrounded by a fleshy pulp. But did you know that tomatoes are actually berries? Botanically, ‘berry’ is used for all fruit without a pit or stone where each flower develops into a single fruit.

Tomatoes are part of the Nightshade family, meaning they are related to chillies, potatoes, and the tobacco plant.

This one is for all the avocado toast lovers: Avocados are a fruit. A berry, more specifically. While in Western countries avocados are used in savoury preparations, many cultures around the world use them in desserts and sweet drinks.

But aren’t berries fruits without a stone? One would think that the stone is hard to miss in this case. Botanists are still arguing on this one, but the general consensus is that the avocado seed does not fulfill the requirements to be considered a stone. Some common plants that you might not know were related to the avocado are the bay laurel and the cinnamon tree.

A staple in the nut/dried fruit category, peanuts are neither fruits nor nuts in a botanical sense. They are actually the seed of a legume, but even then, they are unique because they are the only legume that develops underground.

Peanuts are classified and treated as nuts for culinary purposes, so people often think that a peanut allergy is the same as a nut allergy, but these are two very distinct (although dangerous) reactions. As part of the Fabaceae family, peanuts are related to soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, and peas.

Zucchinis are used as a vegetable, but they are multiseeded, fleshy, and have an edible outer layer. Rings any bells? That’s right, zucchinis are a type of berry. A member of the Cucurbitaceae family, they are relatives of cucumber, squash, watermelon, and the luffa (yes, the one used in the shower).

As an ingredient, zucchinis are usually harvested before they mature, because ripe zucchinis have tougher skin, harder seeds, and are bitter.

Also known as maize, corn is used in savoury and sweet preparations alike. Classified as a grain for culinary purposes, it is actually a grass that bears fruit. So, technically, corn is a fruit.

But where are the seeds and the skin? In the grass (Poaceae) family, each flower has a seed that fuses with the skin and forms a kernel. Other relatives that behave in the same way are wheat, rice, sugarcane, and barley.

Mushrooms are vegetables in a culinary sense, and a "fruit" body in a botanical sense, but they are neither vegetables nor fruits, because they are not plants. Culinary mushrooms are edible fungi, and as such, they have a totally different classification.

Mushrooms are not the only fungi that have culinary uses: other cases include yeast used for leavening or alcoholic beverages, fermented foods, or the mold used for blue cheese.

Rhubarb is a vegetable, but is traditionally used for tarts, jams, and other sweet desserts. The only edible part of the plant is the stalk, as the leaves can be toxic.

Edible rhubarb is a hybrid, and it’s not closely related to other edible plants, although it is a distant relative of buckwheat.

Also called capsicum or sweet pepper, bell peppers are a berry of the Nightshade family (which makes them a relative of tomatoes and potatoes). Although they are classified as berries, they lack one of their main characteristics: instead of having seeds surrounded by fleshy pulp, plants in the capsicum species are hollow.

Fun fact: plants in the capsicum species have no relation whatsoever to the pepper spice, but they were given that name because Europeans used the word ‘pepper’ for all plants and spices that were pungent.

Despite their name, strawberries are not berries in the botanical sense of the word, because they develop multiple fruits from each flower, and they don’t have seeds (even if they look like they do). Historically, the English language has used the word ‘berry’ for any small, brightly colored, and juicy edible fruit.

So, where do strawberries come from? They are a hybrid, and they belong to the Rosaceae family, which makes them a relative of apples, cherries, peaches, almonds, and roses.

From a culinary point of view, cashews are classified as nuts. But nuts, in their botanical sense, are fruits protected by a hard shell that doesn’t open on their own. Cashews are actually drupes, or stone fruits.

In this case, what we eat is the seed of the cashew fruit. As a member of the Anacardiaceae family, cashews are related to mangoes, sumac, and (by a more recent classification) to pistachios.

Deathbed statements

Beyond the grave: Take a look at the last words of 12 famous people

Image: Daderot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Throughout history, hundreds of historical figures have left their mark on the world through their marvelous achievements. When their lives came to an end, their last words were often a reflection of their lives and ideals. From George Washington and Mark Twain to Frank Sinatra and Leonardo Da Vinci, in this article, we will reveal 12 final words of memorable personalities.

Image: The New York Public Library

After serving two terms as the United State's first president, George Washington retired to his Virginia plantation. In mid-December 1799, he developed a cold and a severe sore throat. Despite doctors' efforts to cure him, the end was imminent.

His long-time secretary, Tobias Lear, was at his side during his last days and documented all the events that transpired, including the former president's last words. According to his account, shortly before he took his last breath George Washington said "Tis well" —an old-fashioned way of saying "everything is okay."

Image: Signal Corps Archive from United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Noir icon of perpetual elegance and rebellious charisma, Humphrey Bogart is an undisputed legend in cinema history. A Hollywood Golden Age star, Bogart is still remembered today for his scar on his upper lip, his everlasting cigarette, and his perfect portrayal of gangsters and detectives.

At the age of 57 Bogart was diagnosed with esophageal cancer, for which he was hospitalized for several months. According to lore, the legendary star's last words were "I should never have switched from scotch to martinis." However, his wife Lauren Bacall confirmed that the last thing he actually said was "Goodbye Kid. Hurry back," before she left his bedside to get their children.

Image: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As one of the greatest American writers of all time, Mark Twain is usually credited with all sorts of great quotes that he often didn't say. For that reason, there are different versions of what his last words were before he died in 1910 at the age of 74.

The most plausible theory can be found in an article published one day after his death. According to this chronicle, Samuel Langhorne Clemens' last words were not spoken aloud but written. The famous humorist and essayist reportedly wrote to his daughter Clara, who accompanied him on his bedside, "Give me my glasses."

Image: MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Joan Crawford, the Oscar winner for Mildred Pierce and one of the greatest stars of Hollywood's golden age, died in 1977 of a heart attack.

The actress, who had a complicated personality, was true to her nature until her last breath. She was so ill that her doctor felt it wasn’t worth taking her to the hospital. One of her nurses began to pray aloud in desperation. Losing her patience, Crawford snapped for the last time and said, "Damn it... Don't you dare ask God to help me."

Image: Municipal Library of Trento, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The year 2024 marked the 700th anniversary of the death of the man who better described remote lands. Marco Polo was a merchant who spent more than 20 years of his life traveling through the Orient and wrote about his adventures in a book that became a bestseller when the printing press wasn’t even invented.

Marco Polo was, and still is, a legend. When, on his deathbed, his wife and friends begged the brave explorer to confess if what he had told in the book was true, he barely whispered: "I have not told the half of what I saw and did."

Image: MGM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Julius Henry Marx, better known as Groucho Marx, is considered one of the most influential comedians of all time. The man with the bushy black mustache was one of the Marx Brothers. Together they made 13 films, including the classic Duck Soup. After a long and prominent career, Groucho passed away in Los Angeles in 1977 at the age of 86.

His brilliant one-liners are still remembered and replayed to this day, so it is not surprising that not one but several final words are attributed to him. A few close friends have suggested that his last line was "This is no way to live!", while most suggest that his last words were in fact dedicated to his wife: "Die, my dear? Why, that's the last thing I'll do!"

Image: Nicolas de Largillière, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Voltaire, the French writer, philosopher, historian, and lawyer, one of the major figures of the Enlightenment, died in 1778 at the age of 83. Different accounts of his deathbed make it impossible to determine exactly what his last days were like.

One of these stories, however, is consistent with his ideas about God and his well-known criticism of the Church. According to this version, when the priest asked him if he wanted to renounce Satan before he died, Voltaire replied, "This is no time to make new enemies."

Image: William Wallace Denslow, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

L. Frank Baum was a prolific American author. He wrote 55 novels, 82 short stories, and more than 200 poems. However, his most memorable work is his series of children's fantasy books The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

On May 5, 1919, Baum suffered a heart attack. He died the next day, shortly before his 63rd birthday. Disturbed by the imminence of death, he whispered to his wife: "Now we can cross the Shifting Sands," a clear reference to the Land of Oz.

Image: National Archaeological Museum of Athens, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Augustus, the first Roman emperor, is often attributed with the phrase: "Behold, I found Rome of clay, and leave her to you of marble," alluding to the great infrastructural works carried out during his prosperous 40 years of rule.

However, according to other historical accounts, his last words were addressed to the friends who stayed with him on his deathbed: "Have I played the part well? Then applaud, as I exit."

Image: English: Distributed by NBC. Photographer unknown., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

"Darling, you've gone through worse and you can beat this too. You have to fight," implored Barbara Marx, Frank Sinatra's fourth wife, to her beloved on his deathbed. "I'm losing," The Voice whispered through teary eyes.

Barbara recounted the last hours of the singer of such hits as My Way and New York, New York in her memoir Lady Blue Eyes: My Life With Frank. Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular entertainers of the mid-20th century, pronounced his last words in 1998 at the age of 82.

Image: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Despite being one of the most famous artists of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci was very hard on himself. All his life he challenged his own limits, evident in his paintings and sculptures as well as in his inventions, some of which were truly revolutionary.

Even after a lifetime of success, he wasn’t quite satisfied. When he suffered a stroke at the age of 67, he sent for a priest to receive the Holy Sacrament and, according to historians, his greatest regret was that he hadn’t achieved excellence with his work. In that sense, it is said that his last words were: "I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have."

Image: National Museum of Health and Medicine, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Yankee Clipper was one of the greatest baseball players of all time but he is also known for having been married to the iconic American actress Marilyn Monroe. Joe and Marilyn were together for less than three years. In 1955 the actress left him for American playwright Arthur Miller.

DiMaggio was devastated. He never married again, and never got over his one true love. His last words before he died in 1999 at the age of 84 were: "I'll finally get to see Marilyn."