Are you a fan of Brussel sprouts?
New research shows Brits distain for Brussel Sprouts, but we can't see what all the fuss is about. They're healthy and delicious.
The research from Birdseye found that while over a third of cooks feel obliged to cook Brussels at Christmas, only a quarter of diners actually finish the sprouts on their plate, with 35 per cent citing their unpleasant smell as the biggest turn off.
A quarter of Brits (said they wish they never have to eat another sprout again while over one in five admit that they simply dread being served the leafy green vegetable.
They're not bad are they?
If you're dreading eating them come Christmas dinner, we take a look at their health benefits which will hopefully make you feel a little better about eating them.
Sprouts are one of the low-glycaemic nutritious vegetables that should be considered in weight reduction programs. 100 g brussel sprouts provide just 45 calories, nonetheless, contain 3.38 g of protein, 3.80 g of dietary fibre (10% of RDA) and zero cholesterol.
They may have unique health benefits in the area of DNA protection. A recent study has shown improved stability of DNA inside of our white blood cells after daily consumption of Brussels sprouts in the amount of 1.25 cups. Interestingly, it's the ability of certain compounds in Brussels sprouts to block the activity of sulphotransferase enzymes that researchers believe to be responsible for these DNA-protective benefits.
A host of antioxidant ingredients are found in Brussels sprouts, including Vitamins C, E, and A, as well as the mineral manganese. Furthermore, flavonoid antioxidants like isorhamnetin, quercitin, and kaempferol also serve well to protect against oxidative stress on the body's cells.
One cup of Brussels sprouts contains four grams (16% of the RDA) of dietary fibre, which can aid in digestion, prevent constipation, maintain low blood sugar and check overeating. The sulforaphane found in Brussels sprouts also protects our stomach lining by obstructing the overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that can lead to gastric cancer.
Brussels sprouts are especially high in vitamin K (one cup contains 273.5% of the RDA), which promotes healthy bones, prevents calcification of the body’s tissues, serves as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, and is essential for proper brain and nerve function.
Glucosinolates in Brussels sprouts and their detox-activating isothiocyanates are shown to fight against and even prevent various cancers, including bladder, breast, colon, lung, prostate, and ovarian cancer.
The high fibre content (over 15% of our RDA) of Brussels sprouts lowers our cholesterol by binding with bile acids that the liver produces from cholesterol for digesting fat. Because many of these bile acids are coupled with fibre, the liver is charged with producing more bile acid to digest fat, and therefore requires more cholesterol to do so, ultimately lowering the cholesterol amount within our bodies.
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