Recall your first whiff of these potently pungent firm green round balls as the aroma passed your nostrils? Reminiscent of cabbage leaves instead of sprouts dangling from branches on a stalk. A cruciferous vegetable, part of the Brassicaceae family: it includes kale, cauliflower, and mustard greens. The Latin derivative meaning cross-bearing, describing the position of their leaves at four points. Originating from Brussels Belgium, hence the name, these piquant crunchy veggies are easily distinguishable by their odor and size. Steaming or roasting them can quell the overpowering bitter flavor.
NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS
Their cruciferous leaves are like little fans of fiber cleaning up as they move along the gut; rich in vitamins K, C, manganese, folate, and B6. Each of these nutrients affirming a stake in their health attributes. Fiber inherently creates an environment for glucose regulation by slowing sugar absorption and reducing sugar spikes. In an earlier blog post4 I dove into the benefits of fiber and how to maintain a healthy supply and source for consumption.
Vitamin K, Phytomenadione
Brussel sprouts are a major source of vitamin K, two cups provide over 100% of your daily requirement, it is a fat-soluble vitamin, also produced by our gastrointestinal flora. It assists in blood clotting and calcium binding for bone formation.
Vitamin C, Ascorbic acid
Is an antioxidant that enhances iron absorption in the gut and is involved with tissue repair and immune function.
Folate, Vitamin B9
A coenzyme that is broken down before it can be assimilated to assist in the synthesis of DNA and RNA within the intestinal cell, the essential building blocks of life. Red blood cell formation relies on folate and is vital for a developing fetus in utero and for pregnant women.
B6, Pyroxidine
A coenzyme that is active in two forms but responsible for a plethora of body functions related to protein metabolism and the immune system.
Manganese
A mineral that acts as a cofactor for enzyme production, responsible for many essential metabolic pathways
Preparation of the Brassicaceae family of vegetables can affect their nutritional values. Some researchers found that steaming yielded far better values over blanching, frying, boiling microwaving and sous-vide processing
Super antioxidant properties scavenge free radicals, help to reduce cellular strain, inflammation, chronic disease and ultimately lower the risk for cancer. Research as far back as 20081, into the cellular oxidative properties2,3 of brussel sprouts found Kaempferol which is present in many plant-based foods. Their benefits have been well established.
PREPARATION/TID BITS
Heating sprouts will enhance their palatability but it will also affect their nutritional value. When talking about nutrition and its importance, it’s also necessary to consider how their preparation techniques will affect nutrient values. If the goal is to consume nutritious food, then selecting the appropriate processes that maintain their nutrients is best. All nutrients within a vegetable are not equally vulnerable at being destroyed or deactivated due to preparing and cooking. Some are much more tolerant of specific preparation conditions. It has been common knowledge to realize that boiling vegetables dilute and inactivate vitamin C and many of the water-soluble vitamins. Extended exposure to high temperatures reduces many of their beneficial properties. However, several studies suggested steaming as the most efficient process to retain glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables when compared with blanching, boiling, or microwaving.
High-Pressure Processing (HPP) has had promise with some plant-based foods to reduce bacterial content like e-coli and maintain nutritional quality. However, there aren’t studies on brussel sprouts specifically. Some data suggests that cooking broccoli perse with onions would enhance their flavor and nutrition.
There isn’t one rule to apply to all plant-based foods when consideration of their preparation affects their nutrition. There is evidence that shows that post-harvesting environment also affects their nutritional values.
Their tendency to create gastrointestinal flatulence is due to raffinose, a sugar which is digested and processed by bacteria of the lower gut and then of course easily released.
MY RECIPE
Roast in Preheated oven on 400 degrees. Brussel sprouts need to be trimmed, washed, & cut in half thirds or quarters if they are about an inch or more in thickness. Try to create uniform sizes to help cook evenly and thus even out their nutritional composition.
Once they have dried toss them into a deep metal bowl and coat with a teaspoon or two of olive oil, and season with salt pepper garlic. Additionally, sweet Vidalia onions, which are the best in my opinion and they can be added after they are cut in quarters or sixths depending on their size. Place on pam coated baking sheet in a single layer without touching other pieces so as to have the heat surround them during cooking.
Roast for 20 and toss and check for doneness. I like when they are a bit crispy, as it enhances their flavor.
Sometimes you have to compromise some nutritional value for palatability associated with cooking and preparations you prefer.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18622053
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25964540
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3601579/
 |
| Brussels Sprouts, Pungent, nutritional & cruciferous |
Vitamin K, Phytomenadione
Brussel sprouts are a major source of vitamin K, two cups provide over 100% of your daily requirement, it is a fat-soluble vitamin, also produced by our gastrointestinal flora. It assists in blood clotting and calcium binding for bone formation.
Vitamin C, Ascorbic acid
Is an antioxidant that enhances iron absorption in the gut and is involved with tissue repair and immune function.
Folate, Vitamin B9
A coenzyme that is broken down before it can be assimilated to assist in the synthesis of DNA and RNA within the intestinal cell, the essential building blocks of life. Red blood cell formation relies on folate and is vital for a developing fetus in utero and for pregnant women.
B6, Pyroxidine
A coenzyme that is active in two forms but responsible for a plethora of body functions related to protein metabolism and the immune system.
Manganese
A mineral that acts as a cofactor for enzyme production, responsible for many essential metabolic pathways
Preparation of the Brassicaceae family of vegetables can affect their nutritional values. Some researchers found that steaming yielded far better values over blanching, frying, boiling microwaving and sous-vide processing
Super antioxidant properties scavenge free radicals, help to reduce cellular strain, inflammation, chronic disease and ultimately lower the risk for cancer. Research as far back as 20081, into the cellular oxidative properties2,3 of brussel sprouts found Kaempferol which is present in many plant-based foods. Their benefits have been well established.
 |
| Vitamin K Chemical formula |
PREPARATION/TID BITS
Heating sprouts will enhance their palatability but it will also affect their nutritional value. When talking about nutrition and its importance, it’s also necessary to consider how their preparation techniques will affect nutrient values. If the goal is to consume nutritious food, then selecting the appropriate processes that maintain their nutrients is best. All nutrients within a vegetable are not equally vulnerable at being destroyed or deactivated due to preparing and cooking. Some are much more tolerant of specific preparation conditions. It has been common knowledge to realize that boiling vegetables dilute and inactivate vitamin C and many of the water-soluble vitamins. Extended exposure to high temperatures reduces many of their beneficial properties. However, several studies suggested steaming as the most efficient process to retain glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables when compared with blanching, boiling, or microwaving.
High-Pressure Processing (HPP) has had promise with some plant-based foods to reduce bacterial content like e-coli and maintain nutritional quality. However, there aren’t studies on brussel sprouts specifically. Some data suggests that cooking broccoli perse with onions would enhance their flavor and nutrition.
There isn’t one rule to apply to all plant-based foods when consideration of their preparation affects their nutrition. There is evidence that shows that post-harvesting environment also affects their nutritional values.
Their tendency to create gastrointestinal flatulence is due to raffinose, a sugar which is digested and processed by bacteria of the lower gut and then of course easily released.
 |
| Fresh Brussels sprouts |
MY RECIPE
Roast in Preheated oven on 400 degrees. Brussel sprouts need to be trimmed, washed, & cut in half thirds or quarters if they are about an inch or more in thickness. Try to create uniform sizes to help cook evenly and thus even out their nutritional composition.
Once they have dried toss them into a deep metal bowl and coat with a teaspoon or two of olive oil, and season with salt pepper garlic. Additionally, sweet Vidalia onions, which are the best in my opinion and they can be added after they are cut in quarters or sixths depending on their size. Place on pam coated baking sheet in a single layer without touching other pieces so as to have the heat surround them during cooking.
Roast for 20 and toss and check for doneness. I like when they are a bit crispy, as it enhances their flavor.
Sometimes you have to compromise some nutritional value for palatability associated with cooking and preparations you prefer.
 |
| My roasted Brussels sprouts. Yummie 😋 |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18622053
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25964540
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3601579/
The Girldoc😉
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