3 lobes for cooking, 4 for salads? The viral capsicum ‘hack’ that doesn’t actually work

If you’ve spent time scrolling through food reels, you’ve probably seen this one:

“Count the lobes on a capsicum before using it. Three lobes mean it’s sharp and perfect for cooking, while four lobes make it sweet and better for salads.”

Sounds neat, right? Unfortunately, it’s not true.

There’s no scientific link between the number of lobes on a capsicum and its taste. Agriculture experts and horticulturists have debunked this claim many times. The number of lobes depends on the variety of the pepper and how it was grown, not its sex or flavour.

According to the University of Arkansas Extension and other horticultural studies, bell peppers don’t have genders. Their shape and lobe count vary due to genetics or growing conditions. Some might have three, four, or even five bumps — all from the same plant.

So, what actually affects taste?
It’s about ripeness and colour. Green peppers are harvested earlier, so they taste more bitter. As they mature and turn yellow, orange or red, they get sweeter.

Next time you’re at the market, skip the lobe-counting trick. Pick based on colour and freshness, not the number of bumps underneath.

Because when it comes to capsicum, it’s what’s inside that counts.