Shocking Truth: Peppers Are Technically Framework Fruits, Well, Sort Of

Sun, 03 May 2026 07:42:38 +0000

Shocking Truth: Peppers Are Technically Framework Fruits—Well, Sort Of When you grab a bell pepper at the grocery store, you inevitably think of it as a vegetable—a crisp, colorful addition to salads, stir-fries, or stuffed dishes. But here’s a surprising twist: peppers are technically fruits, by botanical definition. Yes, that’s right—technically, peppers are framework fruits, though their savory flavor often makes them feel like versatile veggies in the kitchen. ### What Defines a Fruit Botanically? In botany, a fruit is the mature ovary of a flowering plant, typically containing seeds. By that strict definition, peppers—including bell, jalapeño, and chili—are fruits because they develop from the flower’s ovary and enclose seeds. This contrasts with genera like Solanum, which includes vegetables (like tomatoes and eggplants, technically fruits too) classified differently due to taste and use in cooking.