Bacon & Parmesan Brussels Sprout Skewers - My Fussy Eater | Easy Family Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why can't some people eat brussel sprouts? ›

"People with certain genetic variants in the TAS2R38 gene can detect bitter taste more than others and therefore may be more likely to dislike sprouts,” 23andMe senior product scientist Alisa Lehman recently told the Daily Record. "There are many factors outside genetics that play a part in the foods we like.

Some dried or yellow outer leaves are okay, but the leaves should be tightly layered together. Individual sprouts: Brussels sprouts sold by the pound are what you find most often at the market. They need to be trimmed of their dry ends and yellowed or damaged leaves before halving and cooking.

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.

Roasting, steaming, or sautéing them can help break down some of the fibers and make them gentler on the stomach compared to consuming them raw. Moderation: Start with small amounts to see how your body reacts.

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.

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).

Sprouts on the stalk will stay fresher longer than sprouts that have been picked off and sold loose. Plan on about 1/2 pound (8 ounces) of raw brussels sprouts per person.

As the brussel sprouts get older and start to spoil, their color lightens and the leaves soften and separate. If only the outermost leaves are yellow or wilted, just peel them off and cook the rest of the brussel sprout. If it looks wilted or yellow throughout the entire veggie, then toss it out.

Using a chef's or paring knife, trim off the dried-out portion. Inspect the outer leaves of each sprout as well. If they look dried, bruised, insect-damaged, or otherwise undesirable, remove them until you reach the more appealing leaves underneath.

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.

Who made brussel sprouts taste better? ›

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.

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. The research found that around 50 per cent of the world's population have a mutation on this gene.

Brussels sprouts are a common cause of gas and bloating because they contain a complex sugar called raffinose. Human beings lack the enzyme in their small intestine that helps break down the raffinose, which means it gets transported down to the large intestine for digestion.

“Additionally, those with a sensitive gut should also be extremely careful about consuming sprouts since they are hard for the body to break down and digest which can, in turn, cause abdominal pain, gas, and either diarrhoea or constipation, depending on the condition of your gut.

Certain vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, and cauliflower are known to cause excess gas. Like beans, these vegetables also contain the complex sugar, raffinose. However, these are very healthy foods, so you may want to talk with your doctor before eliminating them from your diet.

If you have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), you may have been told to avoid cruciferous vegetables — such as kale, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Cruciferous vegetables have been shown, in certain situations, to interfere with how your thyroid gland uses iodine.

Although Brussel sprout allergy isn't common, hypersensitive people who ingest this vegetable may experience mild to moderate allergic symptoms.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower are high in sulfur and can cause bloating and gas. Try some of these vegetables to see if they are easier to digest: carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini, green beans, celery and squash.

America's least favorite veggies:

Radish (23 percent) Brussels sprouts (21 percent)