Brussels sprouts, a vegetable with many health benefits

Like all other types of sprouts, Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) are derived from wild cabbage and therefore They belong to the large cruciferous family. But while broccoli or green cabbage have only one head, a brussels sprout plant bears up to 40 walnut-sized buds, which grow from the axils of the leaves of the trunk of approximately 70 cm of height.

The first evidence of cultivation dates back to 1587 in what is now Belgium. In the early 19th century, Brussels sprouts finally made their way to France and from there to England and North America. Nowadays, The Netherlands, France and Great Britain are considered the main growing areas for Brussels sprouts.

the little cabbages they have many small, stacked leaves that are green on the outside and yellowish-white on the inside. There are also reddish varieties of Brussels sprouts that are characterized by a bright purple color and a sweeter taste.

Brussels sprouts are a typical vegetable of cold seasons, which has the main season from November to January. They taste especially good, less bitter and sweeter, after having suffered a first frost.

When other vegetables are kept in “hibernation”, the young cabbages defy the weather and offer us a rich cocktail of nutrients so that we too can better survive the cold season.

Protect against carcinogenic substances

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna, the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and the University of Belgrade conducted a study with 8 participants who ate 300g of cooked Brussels sprouts per day for 6 days. They concluded that Brussels sprouts reduce endogenous production of free radicals and decrease oxidative damage to DNA, which prevents the development of cancer cells.

They activate the immune system

Both sulforaphane and diindolinemethane (DIM) They are produced during the digestion of Brussels sprouts in the human body. The starting substances are so-called glucosinolates (mustard oil glycosides).

Of all types of cabbage, Brussels sprouts contain the highest amount of glucosinolates, which also give it its somewhat bitter taste. In addition, glucosinolates have a very beneficial effect on the intestines and the immune system, as German scientists discovered in 2011.

The study by the Freiburg researchers, led by Professor Andreas Diefenbach, showed that glucosinolates activate the immune system improving the intestinal environment and stimulating the formation of new lymphatic follicles (Peyer’s patches), where white blood cells exert their defensive function. The better the gut health, the more effective the immune system.

Why don’t some people like Brussels sprouts?

Not everyone likes Brussels sprouts and, in particular, children tend to reject them. The reason is that they contain bitter substances and children should not be forced to eat them. The most normal thing is that the appreciation for Brussels sprouts appears in adulthood.

On the other hand, the rejection of the bitter taste of cabbages may be due to the fact that some people have a special sensitivity to this taste for genetic reasons. These people are called supertasters or supertasters.

Scientific references: