Have you ever looked at a picture puzzle online and thought the answer was obvious, only to discover a surprising twist? An image showing nine common kitchen foods asks, “How many fruits are in this post?” Most people quickly spot the strawberry, banana, pineapple, mango, and orange, answering five. The correct answer, however, is nine because every item in the image is scientifically classified as a fruit.

The confusion comes from the difference between science and everyday cooking. In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing part of a plant that develops from the flower’s ovary. In contrast, culinary traditions usually separate foods by flavor, calling sweet produce “fruits” and savory produce “vegetables.” This is why foods such as bell peppers, eggplants, zucchini, and tomatoes often catch people by surprise.

Bell peppers qualify as fruits because they grow from flowers and contain seeds. Eggplants are also fruits and are even considered a type of berry from a botanical perspective. Zucchini develops from the flowering part of the plant and carries seeds, while tomatoes, despite their common use in savory dishes, are scientifically recognized as fruits for the same reason.

Even the fruits we think we know have fascinating characteristics. Bananas are technically berries, strawberries are accessory fruits with their true fruits on the outside, and pineapples are formed from many smaller fruits that fuse together as they grow. Nature often challenges our assumptions, reminding us that science and cooking do not always use the same definitions.