Coffee beans: fruit or seed?

Coffee beans: fruit or seed?

Coffee beans are a widely consumed beverage ingredient, but there is always controversy about whether they are fruits or seeds. In this article, we will explore this question and answer it from different angles.

1. The formation process of coffee beans

To understand whether coffee beans are fruits or seeds, you first need to understand how they are formed. After the coffee plant grows flowers, the flowers undergo a process of pollination and fertilization. As fertilization is successful, the flowers gradually develop into cherry-like fruits.

This cherry-shaped fruit has a red or yellow skin on the outside and contains two small, hard cores inside - what we call "coffee beans." So from the outside, you can think of coffee beans as being formed by the pulp wrapping around the core.

2. Based on biological definition

According to the biological definition, "seed" refers to the embryo and nutrients needed to germinate and produce a new individual (i.e. a new plant). Fruit is a structure formed by a plant during the reproductive process, which usually contains seeds.

Coffee beans are closer to "seeds" under this definition because they have the ability to germinate and be used to propagate new coffee plants. In addition, coffee beans contain enough nutrients to support the initial growth of new plants.

3. From the perspective of food

However, from a food perspective, people tend to think of coffee beans as “fruits.” This is because we usually harvest the entire coffee cherry and extract the coffee bean inside by removing the outer pulp, washing, and roasting.

When we enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, we don’t eat the whole cherry or just the core. Instead, we use the so-called “seed” inside and process it into powder or grind it for brewing.

4. Conclusion

In summary, coffee beans can be considered both fruits and seeds. From a biological point of view, they are closer to seeds because they have the ability to germinate and reproduce new plants. However, in the process of food processing and consumption, we tend to regard them as fruits.

Regardless of whether coffee beans are fruits or seeds, it does not affect our enjoyment of a cup of delicious coffee in our daily lives. This controversy also reflects the diversity of people's classification and definition of food.

Finally, remember: no matter what you think of coffee beans as - berries or seeds - don't forget to savor the pleasure of a cup of fragrant coffee!