Why we’re all about brussels sprouts

April 4th, 2012

Appliance Talk Food Preparation Ovens & Cooking

Brussels sprouts? Urgh!

Even Bear Grylls would rather eat an animal’s balls.

The mere mention of the little green balls can give kids nightmares and make adults shudder.

Funnily enough it’s that strong taste which hints at the nutritional punch a brussels sprout packs. So let’s give them a break and see if we can find a few good reasons to give them a second chance.

It’s a matter of taste

It’s the strong, bitter flavour, the stuff of disgust for many, which inspires a nutritional love affair in the body.

First let’s begin with what they don’t have. Brussels sprouts register pretty much zilch saturated fat and cholesterol. Tick, Tick.

They are also thought to be little studs against cancer! BIG tick. Researchers in the UK have discovered that the singrin found in the glucosinolates of a brussels sprout has cancer prevention properties. This is particularly true for colon cancer, one of the most common cancers in European people thought to be linked to a diet heavy in meat.

They may also be good for protecting DNA, which when damaged can also lead to cancer.

What else?

Short on vitamin K? One cup of sprouts provides almost 200 per cent of the vitamin K daily intake – important for normal blood clotting and bone health.

Need a winter boost? The same cup boasts 125 per cent of the vitamin C daily intake.

She looks a bit scary but we don't think it's the brussels sprouts!

They provide over 13 per cent of the required folate, fibre, and Vitamin A as well as 10 per cent of potassium, vitamin B6 and tryptophan (an essential amino acid).

Compelling stuff. Now, how to get people to eat brussels sprouts

Because they are strong flavoured a whole cup may be a little overwhelming for sensitive taste buds.

Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vege, similar to cabbage, kale, cauliflower and broccoli.

Steaming is the best way to cook brussels sprouts to keep the anti-cancerous properties. Over-cooking will enhance the bitterness.

Chop them in half in cover with a bit of salt, lemon and butter.

Or try chopping them finely and adding them to stir-fries, soups and salads. This way they add a bit of bite without overpowering the palate.

Keri Algar

Having once had to sit on the washing machine to stop it from bouncing into oblivion, Keri is today delighted with the new (smoother running) technologies that make housework easier every day. A self-confessed lazy-bones, Keri seeks out quirky inventions that ease the human workload, such as the robotic vacuum cleaner (wow). And as soon as someone figures out a Jetsons-like self-cleaning house, she will happily lay her pen to rest and retire from appliance journalism. Until then, her pick is a fridge that will tell her smartphone when it's time to pick up more beer on the way home. Magic.