Brussels Sprouts: The New Superfood

Learn the benefits we can get from Brussels sprouts. Check out the article we found over at Mercola.com.

By Dr. Mercola

If you’re looking for an extremely nutrient-dense food that’s also tasty and easy to prepare, look no further than Brussels sprouts.

This member of the cruciferous family of vegetables (along with broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and more) was cultivated in Italy during the reign of Roman emperors and was named for the city of Brussels, Belgium, where it was first referenced in the 1200s.

One cup of cooked Brussels sprouts contains just 56 calories but is packed with more than 240 percent of the recommended daily amount (RDA) for vitamin K1, and nearly 130 percent of the RDA for vitamin C.

Plus, Brussels sprouts are a good source of fiber, manganese, potassium, choline, and B vitamins. They even contain protein. What is perhaps most exciting about Brussels sprouts, however, isn’t only their incredible array of nutrients. It’s their antioxidants and other phytochemicals, which have been proven to fight chronic diseases, including cancer.

Sulfur-Containing Compounds in Brussels Sprouts May Fight Cancer

Brussels sprouts contain sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates, which your body uses to make isothiocyanates, which activate cancer-fighting enzyme systems in your body. As reported in the journal Carcinogenesis:

“Glucosinolates are sulfur-containing glycosides found in the Brassica vegetables. Their breakdown products include isothiocyanates, which are produced following exposure to the endogenous plant enzyme myrosinase. Isothiocyanates are pungent, biologically active compounds that suppress carcinogenesis in vivo, and induce apoptosis in vitro.”

Indole-3-carbinol, for example, is one glucosinolate breakdown product that halts the cell cycle in breast cancer cells without actually killing the cells. The cell cycle is a rigidly controlled series of steps a cell must go through before it can divide in two, involving the duplication of the cell’s contents and a final split.

If you can alter specific components of the cell cycle, you can stop the growth of cancer cells without killing normal cells. Indole-3-carbinol interferes with the cell cycle in a way that turns off a gene for an enzyme important in the cell’s growth cycle.

Brussels sprouts have been linked to the prevention of a number of cancers, including colon cancer, ovarian cancer, and others. One study even found that compounds in Brussels sprouts may trigger pre-cancerous cells to commit suicide, which suggests adding more of this superfood to your diet could be a powerful anti-cancer strategy.

In fact, in one study, men who ate about 1.5 cups of Brussels sprouts daily for five weeks had a 28 percent decrease in DNA damage, which the researchers concluded showed “that consumption of cruciferous vegetables [Brussels sprouts] may result in a decreased cancer risk.”

While all of the cruciferous veggies are known for their cancer-fighting powers, Brussels sprouts have been shown to contain even greater amounts of glucosinolates than cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and broccoli.

How to Best Prepare (and Enjoy!) Brussels Sprouts

Adding Brussels sprouts to your regular meal rotation is a good idea, and a tasty one at that because they’re so versatile. You can steam Brussels sprouts and toss them with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, or butter. You can roast them and quarter them, then toss them like a salad with onions, feta cheese, and balsamic vinegar. You can even keep a bowl in the fridge, seasoned with salt and pepper, to snack on throughout the day – their small bite-sized package makes them perfect for popping in your mouth.

Do be careful to avoid overcooking them, which can not only damage some of their nutrients but also alter their taste. If your Brussels sprouts become overly “smelly,” mushy or turn a muted green, they’re probably overcooked. Ideally, they should be bright green with a slightly crisp texture and pleasant, nutty/sweet flavor, even after they’re cooked.

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Read full article: Brussels Sprouts: A Superfood with Cancer-Fighting Potential