Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Red Onion, Lemon and Pecorino Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why avoid brussel sprouts? ›

Although a healthy vegetable, consuming too many Brussels sprouts can be unsuitable for people on anticoagulants since it contains vitamin K, which results in blood clotting. Another issue with consuming Brussels sprouts excessively is that it can lead to gas and bloating.

Brussels sprouts have a bad reputation for a couple of reasons. First, many people don't know how to prepare to optimize their flavor. The stereotypical cooking method is to boil them into a gray, soggy mess.

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).

In the late 1990s scientists identified specific chemicals, called glucosinolates, that made Brussels sprouts taste bitter. Plant breeders started growing old seeds, previously discarded for producing paltry harvests, to identify tastier versions with lower levels of these compounds.

Like other cruciferous veggies, Brussels sprouts have a type of carbohydrate that your body can't easily break down. This can cause you to have belly pain, gas, and either diarrhea or constipation.

The most common side effect of eating raw Brussels sprouts is that they may cause gas in some people. Also, those who have hypothyroidism may want to avoid them in large amounts due to their potential iodine-inhibiting compounds.

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. Two-thirds of Brussels sprout consumption in the UK is outside of the festive season.

The fiber in Brussels sprouts—over 3 grams per cup, according to the USDA—helps regulate blood sugar levels, support digestive health, and feed the beneficial gut bacteria. Gut bacteria are tied to positive mood, immunity, and anti-inflammation, according to Harvard University's School of Public Health.

The whole point of boiling was to tame bitterness, so why did these new Brussels sprouts woo so many? The short and simple answer is that Brussels sprouts are not as bitter as they used to be.

Packed into an airtight container, shaved Brussels sprouts will last up to five days in the refrigerator. Put them to use in recipes like the following: Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad. Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pancetta.

What is the black stuff on my brussel sprouts? ›

Fungal and bacterial infections cause black spots on Brussels sprouts. Prevent with spacing, air circulation, and tool sterilization.

Adding even just one or two servings of Brussels sprouts to your diet a few times a week can help you meet your vitamin C needs. Brussels sprouts are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant that's important for immune health, iron absorption, collagen production, and the growth and repair of tissues.

A Dutch scientist named Hans van Doorn, who worked at a seed and chemical company, figured out exactly which chemical compounds in Brussels sprouts made them bitter. The next step was to plant sprouts with the least amount of these chemicals and eventually cross-pollinate the chemicals out.

In my opinion, frying Brussels sprouts creates the best flavor while roasting comes in a close second. If you prolong the cooking process and/or overcook these little cabbages, they will chemically transform into sulphuric mush.

Brussels sprouts are a member of the brassica family, which includes mustard and turnips, so it's hardly surprising that there's pungent possibility lurking within those tiny leaves. You want to cook them in ways that encourage the sweet possibilities.

Surprisingly, it could be your genes that determine your feelings about these controversial little vegetables. A 2011 study by Cornwall College found that sprouts contain a chemical, similar to phenylthiocarbamide, which only tastes bitter to people who have a variation of a certain gene.

Conventionally farmed Brussels sprouts are sprayed with chlorpyifos, dimethoate, and imidacloprid—pesticides known to disrupt the endocrine system, neurofunction, and cause harm to bees.

A diet rich in cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts may reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of pro-inflammatory diseases. Brussels sprouts are high in antioxidants and contain compounds that may help decrease inflammation.

America's least favorite veggies:

Radish (23 percent) Brussels sprouts (21 percent)