When you think of berries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries probably come to mind. But here’s a surprising fact—bananas are actually berries, while strawberries aren’t!

The Science Behind It
Botanically speaking, a berry is a fruit that develops from a single ovary, has multiple seeds, and has a soft, fleshy interior. According to this definition, bananas, along with cucumbers, eggplants, and kiwis, are all considered berries.

Strawberries, on the other hand, don’t meet these criteria. Instead of developing from a single ovary, they form from a flower with multiple ovaries, which makes them an aggregate fruit, not a true berry.

What About Other Fruits?
Tomatoes? Yes, they’re berries!

Watermelons? No, they belong to a different fruit category called pepos.

Avocados? Surprisingly, yes!

The Misleading Names of Fruits
The reason we associate berries with small, juicy fruits is largely due to language and culture rather than science. Over time, names were given based on how fruits looked and tasted rather than their botanical structure.

A Fun Fact to Share!
Next time someone calls a strawberry a berry, you can impress them with this fact—the real berry on your plate might just be the banana!