If it's been a while since you tasted thiscruciferous veggie, you might want to give them another chance.
With the holiday season in full swing, many vegetable skeptics are dealing with their least favorite culinary tradition: a positive bounty of Brussels sprouts, often served alongside more palatable feast day favorites. But the notoriously divisive vegetable doesn’t have to garner derision at your yuletide celebrations this year. In fact, if your guests haven’t tried Brussels sprouts in a few years (or decades), it might be worth encouraging a taste or two. Brussels sprouts, especially for older generations, might have meant boiled, bitter tasting morsels, but today’s varieties are much milder, thanks to the dedicated efforts of Dutch food scientists.
In the past few years, you might have noticed Brussels sprouts becoming something of a year-round trend food. According to NPR, that’s thanks to the efforts of Dutch scientist Hans van Doorn, who in the 1990s figured out exactly what was lending cruciferous vegetables—like cauliflower, broccoli, and of course, Brussels sprouts—their bitter flavor. The answer was a naturally occurring chemical compound called glucosinolate, according to Better Homes & Gardens. Glucosinolates make cruciferous vegetables less appealing to animals, insects, and sometimes, humans. Not every person is born with the ability to taste the strong bitter flavor that glucosinolates cause, but the experience is common enough to lend traditional Brussels sprouts a bad flavor reputation.
After van Doorn discovered the culprit behind Brussels sprouts’ less than ideal flavor, he began working with seed company Syngenta to discover older breeds of Brussels sprouts with lower levels of glucosinolate. Once identified, those older breeds were cross pollinated with newer strains that produce higher yields or have an easier time fighting off insects and common plant diseases. While it took years of trial and error, van Doorn and Sygenta’s efforts eventually yielded the milder, delicious sprouts that diners are more familiar with today.
Interestingly, the glucosinolate content that makes some eaters turn down sprouts is also responsible, indirectly, for the health benefits one can garner by eating the vegetable. According to Chemistry & Industry Magazine, glucosinolate breaks down into isothiocyanate, which has a number of anti-cancer properties. It can help prevent the growth of cancers, slow the progression of the disease, and make it harder for the disease to take hold in the future. With further cross breeding, food scientists might be able to provide us with sprouts that contain the best of both worlds: less bitter flavor, but with more of the health properties found in high-glucosinolate Brussels sprouts breeds. In the meantime, however, Brussels sprouts are still a healthy addition to your plate.
Brussels sprouts are a divisive vegetable, and some will never quite develop a taste for them. But if your last experience with the seasonal standby was best described as boiled, stinky, and bitter, then it’s worth loading up a few forkfuls this season, just to try the new and improved variation. If you’re uncertain how best to cook your Brussels, try roasting them with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon. Adding some bacon to the roasting pan can’t hurt either, and sprinkling some Parmesan over the dish once their done will only help make the veggies more delicious. Before long, you’ll discover why Brussels sprouts have suddenly become among the most popular green on everyone’s plate.
FAQs
About 30 years ago, a Dutch scientist identified the chemicals that made brussels sprouts bitter. He selected seed varieties with lower levels of the bitter chemicals and bred new high-yielding varieties that tasted less bitter.
Why are Brussels sprouts less bitter now? ›
Over the last twenty years, farmers have mellowed the "unpleasant" flavor of brussels sprouts by breeding a vegetable that contains fewer bitter compounds or glucosinolates. So, brussels sprouts just taste better than they used to when we were kids. The rub is that glucosinolates help protect sprouts against pests.
Who made Brussels sprouts less bitter? ›
[In] the 1990s a Dutch scientist named Hans Van Doorn identified the chemicals that make Brussels sprouts bitter: sinigrin and progoitrin. After discovering this, the scientist worked to identify Brussels sprouts seeds and varieties with lower levels of these bitter chemicals.
Why do Brussel sprouts have a weird taste? ›
Because PTC is prevalent in Brussels sprouts, these so-called "Supertasters" perceive them as intensely bitter. This is all connected to a taste-related gene called TAS2R38, which has a variant called AVI and one called PAV.
What is the chemical in Brussels sprouts? ›
Brussels Sprouts and Health
Cruciferous vegetables contain a sulfur-containing phytochemical called glucosinolate, which is responsible for the distinctive odor and bitter flavor.
When did Brussels sprouts get better? ›
In 1999, the scientists published their findings. Soon, plants grown from the old seeds were cross-pollinated with modern, high-yielding varieties, but it took years for any perceptible changes to really take hold. "From then on, the taste was much better.
How to take the bitterness out of Brussels sprouts? ›
The sweetness works with the bitterness, and the sugar helps to caramelize the sprouts and bring out their own sweetness. A bit of brown sugar will also work. Acid can be useful as well. A splash of lemon juice, or even apple cider vinegar, works wonders on bitter sprouts.
Are Brussels sprouts good for you? ›
Eating a lot of Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous veggies may help protect against cancers of the stomach, lungs, kidney, breast, bladder, and prostate. Crunchy veggies like Brussels sprouts may also help you stave off other health issues, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes.
Who eats the most brussel sprouts? ›
Containing more vitamin C than an orange and with just eighty calories in a half pound, Britons eat more of them than any other European country, around 40,000 tonnes a year — and yes, we do eat them all year round.
How does Gordon Ramsay cook Brussels sprouts? ›
Add the brussel sprout halves to a bowl with 1-2 tbsp olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, red chilli powder and salt. 4. Spread them on a baking tray with no parchment paper, with the center FACE DOWN. Bake or airfry at 400F for about 20-25 minutes.
Swap Brussels sprouts for peas
She added: “Although they're high in vitamins and antioxidants, they contain a lot of fibre which is fermented by bacteria in our colon, leading to the production of gas that our bodies must release. This can lead to discomfort in some people with IBS.
Are Brussels sprouts clean 15? ›
VEGETABLES: Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, bokchoy, Napa cabbage, Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard, arugula, watercress, collards, kale, green and red cabbage, radicchio, raw sauerkraut, Kimchi celery, onions, leeks, chives, scallions, chicory, carrots (raw), artichokes, beets (raw), radishes, daikon, sunchokes, ...
What is the healthiest way to eat Brussels sprouts? ›
Roasting Brussels sprouts caramelizes their natural sugar and mellows out bitter notes, providing rich flavor and a crispier texture. Brussels sprouts are a good source of fiber and vitamins C and K, notes the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Which is healthier, cabbage or Brussels sprouts? ›
There are also nutritional differences - cabbage has fewer calories than Brussels sprouts, but also fewer nutrients, with sprouts containing higher concentrations of vitamins A and C, Folic Acid, Potassium, Magnesium and Phosphorus.
Are brussel sprouts good for gut bacteria? ›
Being rich in sulphur, brassica vegetables like brussels sprouts may support gut health, and as a result improve your defence against infection, as well as conditions like colorectal cancer.
Are sprouts supposed to be bitter? ›
Research Fellow Lauren Chappell said: “Sulphur is responsible for the bitter sprout taste. As we age, we lose tastebuds, which can make them more palatable – potentially why adults who hated sprouts as children now embrace them in seasonal dishes.
How do you tell if Brussel sprouts are good or bad? ›
If any of the leaves have brown spots or are yellowing, it's a sign of early spoilage. If you remove the blemished leaves and the interior looks OK, you can still use the sprout. However, if the interior leaves are also showing blemishes or yellowing, it's best to toss it (or compost it, if you can).
Are Brussel sprouts still good if they are soft? ›
Mushy or slimy texture Brussel sprouts feel firm and dry to the touch while they're fresh, but bacteria that cause spoilage will break down and soften the leaves. If you feel a slimy film or if your brussel sprouts have soft tender spots, then throw them away instead of eating them.
Why are Brussel sprouts hard to digest? ›
Side effects of eating raw Brussels sprouts
They contain an indigestible fiber called raffinose, which can be tough on the stomach. When bacteria in your large intestine try to break this and other indigestible fibers down, they produce gases like hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane ( 9 , 10 ).
