We know you love them.
But the debate over whether chili peppers are fruits or vegetables remains strong. Maybe you’ve even bet your friend a bottle of Mad Dog 357 that you knew the right answer. Well, we’re going to settle this debate once and for all, and make sure you win all those future bets.
Drum roll...a chili pepper is a fruit! If you’re wondering why, stay with us. Before these spicy guys arrive at our plates and bellies, they start out as wee little flowers. Soon enough a critter or human comes along and pollinates the blooms so they can start turning into peppers. As the peppers grow and mature, they start developing seeds to keep the chili train chugging onward.
All this means that botanically speaking chili peppers considered fruits. Spicy, delicious fruits.
Want to know other fruits that are commonly referred to as vegetables? We’ll help you out. Tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and okra are all fruits since they develop from a plant’s flower. If a plant doesn’t have any flowers, it wouldn’t produce any of these products. True vegetables include leaves and roots such as carrots, onions, beets, kale, and more.
Of course, these botanical details shouldn’t impact how you enjoy hot peppers. They’re still the tasty, fiery foods we love. So bet a friend that a chili pepper is a fruit, win the bet, and enjoy your victory prize bottle of Mad Dog.