They’re those green, round balls that look like mini cabbage heads. They have a distinct odor that turn many people away and leave kitchen tables empty when cooked to mush. And if you ask the average child what their least favorite vegetable is, nine times out of 10 they’ll reply with this underappreciated crucifer (even though Great Britain produces six times the amount America does, a recent poll says it is the country’s least favorite vegetable). Yes, the inauspicious vegetable I speak of is the Brussels sprout.
You gotta hand it to the Brussels sprout: they’re consistently ranked among the least favorite of vegetables, they’re the food kids spend hours staring in contempt at because their parents won’t let them leave the table until they finish eating them, they’re in peak season in just two of the 12 months of the year (unlike, say, apples, which are at peak seven of the 12 months of the year depending on where you live in the country) and many that WILL eat Brussels sprouts douse them in cheese.
Despite the, shall we say, lack of enthusiasm for the Brussels sprout, they’ve withstood the test of time, with approximately 70 million pounds produced annually in the United States alone.
At one time in my youth, I, too, detested Brussels sprouts. Just as we grow in wisdom with age, though, my taste buds have grown in wisdom. Yes, I in fact eat Brussels sprouts without any toppings; I simply pan sear them just long enough so that their tender, but not so tender that the fork tines disappear into the Brussels sprouts when testing their readiness. If they are overcooked, they can taste downright awful. What’s more, they lose much of their nutritional value.
Brussels sprouts nutritional profile is not dissimilar from other cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and kale, as cruciferous vegetables are among the best vegetable sources for vitamin C and vitamin K. What’s more, studies suggest they’re positively “sprouting” in anti-cancer properties.
Cancer in any form is a horrible thing to be saddled with, but certain kinds of cancer are worse than others, like breast cancer (leading cancer among women, though the rate has dropped), colon cancer (the second leading cause of cancer-related death among men and women in the United States) and bladder cancer (fourth most common cancer among men; ninth most common among women). Brussels sprouts are particularly effective in fighting these specific cancers. For example, a University of Texas study on bladder cancer found that men were about one-third less likely to get bladder cancer if they ate Brussels sprouts or other cruciferous vegetables compared to those who rarely or never ate them. The researchers point to their richness in sulforaphane as the likely source for Brussels sprouts’ cancer fighting ways. This sulforaphane is the same chemical believed responsible for protecting women against cancerous cell formation in the breast.
If you’re well into your 20s or 30s and still don’t like Brussels sprouts, there’s hope for you yet. Often times the “likeability” of a vegetable is all in how it’s cooked or served. So instead of boiling Brussels sprouts, as they’re most frequently served, try pan searing them in a light coating of olive oil and a sprinkling of unrefined sea salt. Try steaming them, as steaming for a short period will keep the Brussels sprouts crisp, but not too crisp. Pour on a thin coating of apple cider to give them some tang. Finally, if you really can’t stand the taste, keep the Brussels sprouts uncooked, but chop them fine and throw them in a tossed salad or stir fry – you won’t know they’re there.
The time has come to branch out and try the foods you avoided when young. Your taste in music and movies has changed since then; perhaps your taste for Brussels sprouts has changed as well.
