Most kids either love Brussels sprouts or hate them. Here’s a fact that might make you give them another try: Brussels sprouts or super healthy. They’re high in vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B6 and contain phytochemicals that might just prevent cancer.
They’re best when roasted, grilled, steamed, or fried. Boiling them makes them soggy. Try them with bacon, onions, pecans, or butter.
Fun Facts
- Brussels sprouts are native to the Mediterranean and were probably first used by the Romans. They were cultivated by farmers in Brussels, Belgium in the 16th century, which is how they got their name.
- They look like tiny cabbages and they are related to cabbages, broccoli, and cauliflower. Brussels sprouts are cruciferous vegetables and members of the Brassica
- Brussels sprouts grow clustered together up and down woody stalks. The stalks can grow 45 inches tall.
- The plants grow best in cooler climates and they’re harvested after a frost. Because Brussels sprouts taste sweeter after exposure to cold weather, they’re often harvested all winter long.
- In the U.S. most Brussels sprouts are grown in Northern California, Washington state, and Long Island, New York.
Vocabulary
- Phytochemicals: plant compounds that seem to have powerful healing properties
- Exposure: Experiencing something
Questions and Answers
Question: Why is the word Brussels capitalized?
Answer: Brussels sprouts were first cultivated in the city of Brussels, which is how they got their name. They’re sometimes called Brussel sprouts, which is incorrect.
Learn More
Watch a video of a Brussels sprouts farm in the U.K.
