Tomatoes
A worker selects tomatoes in a tomato farm in Salto, 100 km (62 miles) west of Sao Paulo, in this April 26, 2013 file photograph Reuters/Paulo Whitaker/Files

Many still misconstrue certain vegetables as fruits and vice versa. Knowing the difference can make an impact on your diet and you can ensure that you get sufficient nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Here are the characteristics of these commonly mistaken fruits and vegetables.

1. Tomato

A tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable. It actually belongs to the berry family and is one of the healthiest fruits in the world. A medium tomato contains a lot of vitamin C and will provide 40 percent of the recommended daily allowance. Tomatoes are also rich in lycopene, which prevents inflammation, cancer and cardiovascular disease. A plant can be comprised of fruit and vegetable. According to an article on Mayo Clinic, a fruit is the part of the plant that develops from a flower and contains the seeds. A vegetable is the part that includes the roots, stems and leaves.

2. Cucumber

Cucumber is a fruit, not a vegetable. It falls under the same category as squash and watermelons. Cucumbers contain a lot of water which keep you hydrated and lower internal body temperature. Cucumbers are also rich in vitamin A and K, which help get rid of free radicals, enhance blood cell function and liver health.

3. Zucchini

Similar to cucumber, zucchini is a fruit belonging to the same family as squash and watermelon. Zucchini is low in calories but high in folate, vitamin A and potassium. In a study published in Plos One, zucchini was found to be helpful in preventing the occurrence of breast cancer. There was an inverse association between zucchini intake and breast cancer occurrence or development.

4. Peas

Many people believe that peas are vegetables because of their color. The fact is that these are fruits. A report by The Telegraph showed that to properly identify a fruit from a vegetable, you only need to determine whether there is a seed or not. Fruits have at least one seed, while vegetables do not have any.

5. Corn

It is neither a fruit nor a vegetable. Corn is usually thought of as a vegetable but it is actually a maize or grain. It contains ferulic acid which can help ward off cancer.