The Most Popular Vegetables in the World

Scientifically known as Solanum lycopersicum, the tomato vegetable is a favorite vegetable worldwide. It is native to South and Central America. Over the years, there have been heated debates on whether the tomato is a fruit or vegetable. According to most nutritionists, tomato is a vegetable. However, botanists describe the tomato as a fruit. Hence, tomatoes are vegetables because of their nutritional value. On the other hand, they are fruits because they are formed out of a plants ovary and have the seeds of the plant. Therefore, tomatoes are ripened flower ovary containing seeds. Besides tomatoes; onions, chili, and pepper are also popular vegetables. Most households use these vegetables to cook and make food tasty.

The Most Popular Vegetables in the World

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most popular vegetables in the world. The world produces 177.04 metric tonnes of tomatoes every year. Among the many countries in the world, the three largest producers of tomatoes are China, India, and the United States. The largest exporters of tomatoes in the globe are Netherlands, Mexico, and Spain. For instance, Netherlands exported tomatoes worth US$ 2 billion in 2017. This nation is the largest exporter of tomatoes in the world. On the other hand, Mexico exports tomatoes worth US$ 1.9 billion while Spain exports tomatoes valued at US$ 1.1 billion.

Onions

Onions are the 2nd most popular vegetables in the world. In a year, the world produces 93.17 metric tonnes of onions. The top onion producers in the world are China (22.3 metric tonnes), India (19.3 metric tonnes), and US (3.16 metric tonnes). China’s onions are famous all over the world because of their excellent quality and low pricing. In 2017, the top world exporters of onions included Netherlands, China, and Mexico. These countries export onions worth US$ 545.6 million, US$ 507.2 million, and US$ 386.7 million respectively. On the other hand, the major onion importers in 2016 were US, UK, and Malaysia. They import onions worth US$ 456 million, US$ 213 million, and US$ 166 million.

Chilies and Peppers

Chilies and Peppers are the 7th most popular vegetables in the world. The world produces a total of 34.50 metric tonnes of chilies and peppers. The top exporters of chilies and peppers in 2016 were Mexico (US$ 1.2 billion), Spain (US$ 1.1 billion), and Netherlands (US$ 944.5 million). Regarding production, the top chili and pepper producers are China (16.1 millions of tonnes), Mexico (2.7 million tonnes), and Turkey (2.1 million tonnes). On the other hand, the top importers were China, Mexico, and United States.

Health Benefits of Vegetables

Onions, tomatoes, chilies, and pepper are all known for making food tastier. Besides that, tomatoes have other health benefits such as reducing the possibility of heart diseases, maintaining healthy bones, being an antioxidant, and granting people a healthy skin. On the other hand, pepper improves digestion, helps asthmatics breath easily, reduces headaches, and provides Vitamin C. Onions possess natural sugar, Vitamins A, B6, C and E, and dietary fiber. It also contains minerals such as potassium, iron, and sodium.