The versatile pumpkin can be included in everything from savory stews to sweet pumpkin pie, so you might be wondering if it’s a fruit or a vegetable. The answer is that pumpkins can be considered both a fruit and a vegetable.
Pumpkins are considered a fruit botanically (because of how they grow) but are accepted as a vegetable in a culinary sense because they aren’t sweet – similar to tomatoes, avocados, and other non-sweet fruit.
If this answer has left you with more questions, don’t worry – we’ll explain everything in detail in this article!
What’s the definition of a fruit?
The definitions for plant-based foods are generally pretty clear, but there are some cases where it can get confusing when something meets the criteria for more than one category. Case in point, the pumpkin.
So what makes something a fruit, anyway? Believe it or not, it has nothing to do with sweetness! Just look at tomatoes, avocados, and yes, the pumpkin.
There are several definitions out there, but here’s a description that makes the most sense to us: if it grew from a seed and the seed is still present in the mature structure, it’s likely a fruit.
This might help clarify the definition a bit: apples grow from seeds, which are still present within the core of a mature apple. The same is true for other types of fruit like peaches, avocados, and pumpkins!
These are all fruits in a botanical sense, and if you plant the seeds from these types of fruit into the ground, you can grow more of them (under the right circumstances, of course). On the other hand, carrots and lettuce are examples of vegetables that do not contain seeds in them, disqualifying them as fruit.
But pumpkins are vegetables, too?
While pumpkins aren’t classified as vegetables in a botanical sense, they are considered vegetables in a culinary sense. Pumpkins are typically used in ways more similar to vegetables because they aren’t sweet – for instance, they’re added to soup, stews, and other savory dishes similar to other vegetables.
In addition, pumpkins are more similar to vegetables nutrition-wise because they aren’t high in sugar like most fruits are. For example, one cup of cubed pumpkin contains around three grams of natural sugar compared to 19 grams of natural sugar in a medium apple.
| Calories | Total carbs | Total sugars | Dietary fiber | Vitamin C | |
| One medium apple | 95 | 25 g | 19 g | 4.4 g | 14% DV |
| One cup cubed pumpkin | 30 | 8 g | 3.2 g | 0.6 g | 17% DV |
Source: USDA
Other types of botanical fruits that are considered vegetables in a culinary sense include:
- Avocados
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Olives
Further classifying vegetables
While we’re on the topic of classifying fruits and vegetables, let’s touch a bit on starchy vs. non-starchy vegetables.
Vegetables primarily consist of carbohydrates (AKA carbs), one of the main nutrients your body needs for energy along with protein and fat. Carbohydrates are further broken down into the categories of starch, sugar, and fiber.
Some vegetables are higher in carbs because they are high in starch. Examples of starchy vegetables include potatoes, peas, corn, and winter squash (butternut squash, acorn squash, and yes, PUMPKIN!).
Starchy vegetables aren’t bad for you in any way, contrary to some unfortunate myths. However, you will need to be mindful of your portion sizes of starchier veggies if you have health conditions like diabetes since starchy veggies can raise your blood sugar levels more than non-starchy vegetables.
Some thoughts on the fruit vs. vegetable “debate”
We can spend a lot of time debating whether a food is “technically” a fruit or a vegetable, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. Both fruits and vegetables have unique nutritional benefits that can have a positive impact on your health, such as being rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
Aim to get a mix of non-sweet fruits and vegetables to balance sweeter fruits, and you’ll likely be doing just fine nutrition-wise!
FAQs:
All vegetables are carbs, but some are higher in carbs than others due to their starch content. Pumpkins are considered a starchy vegetable, so they are higher in carbs than non-starchy vegetables like lettuce, asparagus, cauliflower, and many others.
Pumpkins aren’t root vegetables because they don’t grow underground – they grow above ground on vines. Examples of root vegetables include potatoes, carrots, and onions.
Just as the name implies, pumpkin seeds are seeds, not vegetables. The flesh of the pumpkin is considered a fruit/vegetable.
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