Some peppers have three lobes, others four, and this led to a belief that the number of lobes determines the pepper’s sex.
By foppio
If you’ve ever scrolled through cooking tips or heard kitchen lore, you’ve probably come across this popular claim:
“Bell peppers with three bumps are male, and those with four are female.”
But here’s the truth: this is a myth.
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Stuffed Bell Peppers with Rice
Debunking the “Gender” Myth
Bell peppers do not have sexes like animals or even some flowering plants. Each pepper fruit is the result of pollination, but the fruit itself doesn’t have a gender. The idea of “male” or “female” peppers is simply not botanically accurate.
So where did this idea come from?
Most likely from the visible bumps or lobes on the bottom of the pepper. Some peppers have three lobes, others four, and this led to a belief that the number of lobes determines the pepper’s sex and use — for example:
Three bumps = “male” → firmer, better for cooking
Four bumps = “female” → sweeter, better raw
But none of that holds up under scientific scrutiny.
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