Health benefits of Brussels sprouts

The small mean, green cabbage on everyone’s dinner tables at Christmas is known far and wide as the ‘Brussels sprout’. They’re often smelly, mushy and bitter if over-cooked and for this reason, they have a bad rap.

The humble sprout is a highly nutritious winter vegetable and should be eaten throughout winter, not just on Christmas day. In the UK, around 40,000 tonnes of Brussels sprouts are eaten every year which is nearly the weight of the Titanic! However it’s a vegetable that divides the nation, some people love them, and others hate them.

Did you know, it could be your genes that determine your feelings about this controversial little cabbage? Sprouts contain a chemical which only tastes bitter to people who have a variation of a particular type of gene!

Not only are sprouts a Christmas staple, but they’re also considered to be a superfood. One Brussel sprout contains more vitamin C than an orange.

What are the top health benefits?

1. High in fibre

Fibre improves cholesterol levels, helps to regulate blood sugar levels Sprouts have been proven to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol. A 100g serving of sprouts contains 3.5g of fibre.

2. Packed with nutrients

Sprouts contain plenty of vitamins and nutrients including vitamin K which helps the blood to clot, vitamin C for growth and repair and vitamin A which maintains good eye health.

3. Rich in Antioxidants

Brussels sprouts contain a high amount of the antioxidant, Kaempferol, famous for its health-promoting properties such as reducing cancer growth, ease inflammation and promote a healthy heart.

4. Good for the skin

All the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants present in Brussels sprouts help to keep your skin looking and feeling fantastic. To produce collagen which keeps skin firm and healthy, you need vitamin c and copper, Brussels sprouts contain both of these skin-boosting properties.