Tag: Nix v hedden

According to a 2015 study, only 12.2% of U.S. adults met the daily fruit intake recommendation, highlighting a general confusion surrounding healthy eating and the foods we consume. This confusion is often rooted in the question of how are fruits and vegetables classified, which hinges on two distinct and sometimes conflicting systems: botanical and culinary.

In 1893, the US Supreme Court officially ruled that a tomato was a vegetable, not a fruit, for tax purposes, based on its culinary use. This landmark case highlights a fundamental truth: the answer to "are vegetables an actual classification?" depends on whether you ask a botanist or a chef.

In the landmark 1893 case *Nix v. Hedden*, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that for the purpose of import tariffs, the tomato is legally a vegetable. This decision created a lasting precedent, forcing a distinction between the scientific classification and the common culinary use that answers the question: is the tomato legally a vegetable?

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, tomatoes are classified as a vegetable for nutritional and culinary purposes, but botanically, they are a fruit. This dual identity is the source of a long-standing debate and is key to understanding what food group is tomato.

In 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that for tariff purposes, the tomato is a vegetable. This landmark legal decision solidified the long-running culinary vs. botanical debate: is the tomato considered a vegetable or is it a fruit?

While tomatoes are botanically fruits, a historical 1893 U.S. Supreme Court case ruled that, for tariff purposes, tomatoes should be classified as a vegetable based on their culinary use. This ruling is a major reason for the long-standing confusion surrounding the question, 'Does the FDA consider tomatoes a vegetable?'

According to the 1893 U.S. Supreme Court case *Nix v. Hedden*, a tomato was legally classified as a vegetable for tax purposes, despite the court acknowledging its botanical status as a fruit. The answer to what fruit is technically a vegetable depends entirely on whether you ask a botanist or a chef.