this post was submitted on 05 May 2026
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What's a common "fact" that's spread around that's actually not true and pisses you off that too many people believe it?

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[–] trem@lemmy.blahaj.zone 31 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The old "tomatoes are not a vegetable" is pretty frustrating. They are a vegetable.

In botanical terms, the concept of a vegetable does not exist, which is where tomatoes are classified as fruits. But in culinary terms, vegetables do exist and tomatoes are classified as such.

I just find it frustrating, because I believed that garbage myself at some point, and I thought, I was smart for knowing that.
Just one of those examples that you can easily spread misinformation, so long as you make it sound plausible.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world -3 points 1 day ago (3 children)

In culinary arts vegetables are the non-sweet edible parts of plants (not fruit). So no, they are not a vegetable.

What is true is people call them a vegetable.

[–] paraplu@piefed.social 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Other sweet plant parts are also considered culinary vegetables: carrots, squash, red peppers, sweet potatoes, fennel, and onions.

Some of them you do have to cook to perceive as sweet, but non-sweet doesn't seem to be a good dividing line. Striving for non-overlapping categories instead of just accepting the mess seems like a mistake.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world -1 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I will accept these are also not vegetables in the culinary sense as well. Looks like you have single handedly eliminate a bunch of vegetables, congratulations.

[–] Simon_Shitewood@lemmy.ml 2 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Ok, so what about peas? Or cabbage? Artichokes? What's the specific cut off for being too sweet to be a vegetable?

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world -2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

If it is sweet and is a berry/fruit like a tomato then it is not a vegetable. I am personally not having a hard time with this. Not sweet = vegetable. Sweet = debatable.

[–] Simon_Shitewood@lemmy.ml 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Hold on, it didn't need to be a berry/fruit earlier, does that mean carrots and sweet potatoes are vegetables after all?

You know what, let's try this the other way around: could you name specific examples of things you consider vegetables? Because we've named quite a lot now and you don't seem to consider any of them vegetables.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world -1 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (2 children)

I am literally going off the culinary definition which is related to taste. If it is sweet it is a good chance it is a berry or fruit of the plant and not the vegetable matter.

[–] Simon_Shitewood@lemmy.ml 0 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Wait I got a better one: if carrots and sweet potatoes aren't vegetables why are they called root vegetables?

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 0 points 14 hours ago

I never said they weren't, I just agree with you that by pure culinary reasoning they may not be considered a vegetable if they are sweet.

Why do people call a tomato a vegetable when it is obviously a fruit. The world may never know I suppose.

[–] Simon_Shitewood@lemmy.ml 0 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

Well no, you're switching between multiple definitions, none of which have ever been used culinarily, but more importantly, can you not name a vegetable? Are beans a vegetable?

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 0 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago) (1 children)

I stated the culinary definition of a vegetable. There are obviously different opinions on this. I have not switched my basic premise that a vegetable is the non sweet part of a plant which is not the fruit.

Why are you having such a hard time with this?

[–] Simon_Shitewood@lemmy.ml 0 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I'm not having a hard time, I'm interrogating your fake definition, so answer my questions: are peas a fruit or a vegetable? Are root vegetables fruits or vegetables? On the flip side, what about sour fruits like limes or blackberries? Are they vegetables?

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 0 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

I pulled the definition from online, it is not even mine. I do appreciate you confirming that you are acting like an asshole. Thanks, I was not sure if you were being genuine or not.

[–] Simon_Shitewood@lemmy.ml 0 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Hey, I keep answering your questions, I'm just asking perfectly reasonable questions that poke holes in your definition (that's definitely real and not made up because you claim to have found it in the vast world of "online") that you're refusing to answer because you know it doesn't actually work. Now, are you claiming root vegetables are fruits or do you recognise how ridiculous your definition is?

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Just another person acting like an abusive asshat. Oh look ML, not surprised.

[–] wieson@feddit.org 9 points 1 day ago

There are vegetables where you eat the root.
There are vegetables where you eat the leaves.
There are vegetables where you eat the stem.
But for cucumbers, pumpkins, aubergine and paprika you eat the fruit, why should the tomato be different?

[–] Whitebrow@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago (2 children)

If you want to get pedantic the tomato is a berry.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 0 points 1 day ago

Sure, but it is not a vegetable.