A Glimpses of Wonder Entry

Try this little game: Is it a fruit or a vegetable?

Tomato?

Cucumber?

Bell pepper?

Zucchini?

If you said vegetable for any of those, you’re not alone—and you’ve just stepped into one of the greatest misunderstandings in the produce aisle.

In fact, the confusion runs so deep, it once required the United States Supreme Court to settle the score.

The Tomato on Trial 

Back in 1893, in a case called Nix v. Hedden, the U.S. Supreme Court had to answer a question that seems more fitting for a dinner table than a courtroom:

Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable?

Why did it matter? Money. Under the Tariff Act of 1883, vegetables were taxed—but fruits were not. So when New York importer John Nix refused to pay a duty on his tomatoes, he argued that tomatoes were botanically fruits, and therefore exempt.

And he was right—scientifically, tomatoes develop from the ovary of a flower and contain seeds, which is the very definition of a fruit.

But in a unanimous decision, the justices ruled against him. The Court said that in common usage, people think of tomatoes as vegetables because they’re used in savory dishes, not desserts.

So, legally, the tomato wears a vegetable nametag.

But is it the only fruit living a double life?

A Whole Secret Society of Fruit

Tomatoes aren’t the only impostors. In fact, your next stir-fry or salad might be packed with fruits in disguise.

Here are just a few:

• Cucumbers – Grown from a flower, packed with seeds. Fruit.

• Bell Peppers – Doesn’t matter if they’re red, yellow, or green. Still fruit.

• Zucchini – Also known as courgette. Also fruit.

• Pumpkins and Squash – Carved, roasted, or pureed—they’re fruits too.

• Eggplants – Soft inside, seed-filled, and definitely fruits.

Even avocados, olives, and green beans fall into the fruit category.

No wonder the Supreme Court was confused. Even now, we second-guess what we’re chopping for dinner.

Jehovah’s Wisdom Is Never Confused

While we scramble to organize produce into tidy boxes, Jehovah’s design doesn’t depend on our labels. He creates life with purpose, beauty, and even a bit of mystery.

He could have made all fruits sweet and all vegetables savory—but He didn’t. Instead, He filled the earth with surprises that stretch our understanding.

As Psalm 104:24 says:

“How many your works are, O Jehovah! You have made all of them in wisdom.”

So next time you bite into a bell pepper or slice up a tomato, remember: you’re not just tasting food—you’re tasting one of Jehovah’s hidden wonders.

And we’re just getting started.

Check back next week for The Edible Illusion: Seeded in Mystery II.