Brussels Sprouts
So I couldn’t help but choose a Christmas favourite, narrowly avoiding turkey as I thought that would be way too obvious and landing on Brussels sprouts instead. A cruciferous vegegable much like cabbage, it may not be everyone’s favourite vegetable but most of us like to get stuck in regardless on Christmas Day, which looking at the list of health benefits is definitely a good idea. As with most vegetables steaming is the best way to cook if you want to retain the nutrients, I like mine cooked until they are nice and soft.
What I love about green vegetables like these is they pack a big punch of nutrients and health benefits with very little calories which makes them perfect for anyone on a calorie controlled diet. With 100g of Brussels sprouts you will consume just 50 calories but will get 142% RDA of Vitamin C and a whopping 175% RDA of Vitamin K in return. You will also get just over 4g of fibre which aids digestion and helps keep you feeling full amongst other things. But let’s be honest, it’s not just the fibre in your Brussels leaving you feeling stuffed on Christmas Day is it?
- Vitamin C: Growth and repair of body cells and collagen formation (bodybuilders take note). Promotes healthy blood cells, haemoglobin and red blood cell production. May help to increase oxygen uptake and aerobic energy production, very important for athletes and gym goers alike. A powerful antioxidant.
- Vitamin K: May help build strong bones. Needed for blood clotting which helps wounds heal properly.
With it’s high content of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties which help to fight against a whole host of diseases such as cancer and type 2 diabetes, what more reason do you need to introduce them to your diet more than just once a year? Inexpensive to buy and will last for up to 10 days in the fridge I can’t think of any reason not to.
If taste is a problem, why not cook them a little differently? – Brussels sprouts with pancetta
Merry Christmas Everyone
Christian