Despite the fact that we consider them
vegetables, capsicum “peppers,” pea pods,
cucumbers, and even corn kernels are actually
fruits: plant parts that originate in the
flower’s ovary and surround one or more
seeds.
Plant Foods Through History
How long has the Western world been eating
the plant foods we eat today, and in the way
that we eat them? Only a very few common
vegetables have not been eaten since before
recorded history (the relative newcomers
include broccoli, cauliflower, brussels
sprouts, celery). But it was only with the age
of exploration in the 16th century that the
variety of foods we now know became