Among the highest vitamin K and C of any vegetable — and ruined by boiling.
Brussels sprouts are exceptionally dense in vitamin K and vitamin C, and they carry the
glucosinolates found across the cabbage family.
Their reputation for tasting bad is
almost entirely a cooking problem. Boiling them for twenty minutes releases sulphur compounds
and destroys the texture. Roasted or seared, they are a different vegetable
entirely.
Modern varieties are also genuinely less bitter than those from a few decades
ago — breeders selected against the bitter compounds in the 1990s.
Per 100g raw.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Roast or sear. Do not boil. Halved, cut-side down, high heat until
charred. This is the single change that makes people like
them.
Overcooking creates the smell. Sulphur compounds release with
prolonged heat — short and hot avoids it.
Shred them raw into a
slaw with lemon and parmesan. Genuinely good, and keeps all the vitamin
C.
Small sprouts are sweeter than large ones.
Glucosinolates break down into isothiocyanates when the vegetable is chopped or chewed.
These are the compounds behind most of the research interest in cruciferous vegetables, and
they are also part of the bitter taste.
The vitamin K content is genuinely high —
a portion covers well over a day's requirement, which matters for anyone on
warfarin.
On blood thinners: high in vitamin K, which interacts with warfarin.
You do not have to avoid it — keep intake steady rather than swinging week to week, and
tell your doctor.
Kidney disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your
numbers.
IBS: several vegetables are high-FODMAP and commonly trigger
symptoms — tolerance is personal.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.