Nutritious Brussle Sprouts Outgrowth of Cabbage Plant

First recorded as a spontaneous sprout from a cabbage plant found in the Brussle region of Belgium around 1750, this vegetable had reached England and France by 1800. However, the Brussle's version may not have been the first occurrence. A plant described as Brassica capitata polycephalas (a many-headed Brassica with knoblike heads) was illustrated in D’Alechaps’s Historia Generalis Plantarum.

A stalwart among winter vegetables in cool temperate zones, Brussle sprouts are extremely hardy and crop heavily, but are rather fussy to prepare. Sprouts plucked fresh from the garden are best to eat when steamed or boiled. Its recommended that a small cross cut be made into their base to ensure they are evenly cooked.

Low in calories and high in fiber Brussle sprouts are an excellent source in vitamin C. A good source of protein, folate, beta carotene, iron and potassium, sprouts also contain bioflavonoids and other substances that protect against cancer. Like other members of the cabbage family, sprouts may cause bloating and flatulence.