Is Avocado a Fruit or a Vegetable?
Is avocado a fruit or a vegetable? Or is it a berry or a nut? Wait, what the heck is an avocado? Read on for all the details.
Haas avocados growing in my backyard in California.
Avocados are one of the most beloved ingredients around, especially here in California. The avocado is native to Mexico and Central America, and it has been cultivated in these regions for centuries.
Have you ever stopped to consider, ‘What exactly is an avocado?’ Is avocado a fruit or a vegetable? Is it a nut? A berry? These are common questions we are going to answer.
Is Avocado a Fruit or a Vegetable?
The answer to this question is complicated. According to botanists, avocados are fruits. However, they are often classified as vegetables for nutritional and culinary purposes, even by the USDA. This is because although they are fruits, they are nutritionally more like vegetables.
Avocados’ mild and creamy flavor makes them versatile enough to be used in both sweet and savory dishes. In many cases, the distinction between fruit and vegetable doesn’t really matter. But for the purposes of this article, we will consider avocados to be fruits.
While avocado is probably not the first thing you think of when you want a piece of fruit, botanically it is indeed a fruit.
Is Avocado a Berry?
Yes, avocado is a type of berry. However, it is very unusual in that berries typically have many seeds (grapes, tomatoes, bananas, oranges, blueberries, cucumbers, eggplant), and never a pit.
Avocados have a single large seed in the middle, surrounded by fleshy fruit, which makes them more like drupes such as peaches. What classifies avocados as berries rather than drupes is that avocados have a fleshy endocarp (inner layer) and mesocarp (middle layer). Though the endocarp of an avocado is imperceptible, it is there.
Because a berry is by definition a fruit, avocado, as a berry, is most certainly a fruit rather than a vegetable.
What does avocado taste like?
Avocados have a mild, creamy, nutty flavor that makes them incredibly versatile. They are often used in savory dishes, such as salads and dips. But they can also be used in sweet dishes, such as smoothies and desserts.
How do you eat avocado?
Avocados are most commonly eaten raw, but they can be cooked. When eaten raw, they can be sliced, diced, or mashed. They can also be blended into creamy salad dressings and smoothies. When cooked, they can be used in recipes such as soups, sauces, and casseroles.
To enjoy avocado, I like to keep it simple and eat it on toast with a little sea salt, in a sushi roll, mashed into guacamole, or in a veggie sandwich.
Are avocados good for you?
Yes! Avocados are a nutrient-rich food. They are high in monounsaturated fats, which are known to be healthy for the heart. They also contain vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium.
The “good fat” content in avocados means they will keep you satisfied. Avocados are a better choice than refined fats such as oils because they are a whole food filled with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Sweet Avocado Recipes
Savory Avocado Recipes
More Avocado Info
So, What is an Avocado?
While avocado may seem like a vegetable because we most commonly eat it in savory recipes, it is botanically a fruit. To go a step further, avocado is technically a large berry with a single seed. Its classification as a berry, rather than a drupe, is due to its endocarp.
Though avocado is botanically a berry, many consider it a vegetable for culinary and nutritional purposes.
