There are a lot of health benefits of Brussels sprouts for your body. Brussels sprouts are a member of the Brassicaceae family of vegetables. These are highly related to mustard, cauliflower, and kale greens.
Brussels sprouts are somewhat similar to mini cabbages vegetables and are commonly cut, cleaned, and cooked in the same way to come up with a healthy main course or side dish.
There are a lot of nutritious ingredients present in Brussel sprouts. Due to this, there are numerous health benefits of eating Brussel sprouts. Today, we have pointed out the best reasons why Brussels sprouts are good for you.
Health Benefits of Brussels sprouts
Rich in Nutrients
Brussel sprouts are very healthy as they contain a high quantity of minerals, vitamins, and Fiber. Also, there are very low calories in this vegetable.
In a 78 grams cup of Brussel sprouts, the following set of nutrients are present:
- Protein: 2 grams
- Carbs: 6 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Vitamin K: 137% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 81% of the RDI
- Vitamin A: 12% of the RDI
- Folate: 12% of the RDI
- Manganese: 9% of the RDI
- Calories: 28
As you can see, Brussel sprouts are mostly rich in vitamin K, which makes it highly efficient in promoting blood clotting and bone health.
Also, there is a large quantity of vitamin C present in Brussel sprouts. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is responsible for enhancing iron absorption in our body and promoting immune function and tissue repair.
Moreover, they are also rich in high fiber content that plays a great role in keeping your digestive system smooth and solid.
Apart from these major nutrients mentioned above, there are numerous other nutrients present in Brussel sprouts that can be good for you.
Some of these are phosphorus, magnesium, thiamine, iron, potassium, and vitamin B6. These are essential nutrients that are present in small quantities in Brussel sprouts.
Rich in Antioxidants
Brussel sprouts are good for you in many different ways, but the range of health benefits that come from the antioxidants properties of Brussel sprouts is still most impressive.
They contain high levels of kaempferol, an antioxidant that has been proven to be very beneficial for our body in many ways.
Antioxidants are a very important part of your body. They are responsible for a reduction in oxidative stress in your cells, which can reduce your risk of catching a chronic disease.
As per a recent study, it was found that there was a massive 28% reduction in the oxidation process in participants that consumed about 2 cups (300 grams) of Brussel sprouts for every day for a month.
May assist in cancer prevention
This is another one of health benefits Brussel sprouts linked to its antioxidants properties. There have been some successful studies showing that Brussel sprouts can be effective in preventing specific types of cancer cells.
In a study conducted in 2008, it was found that Brussel sprouts can be used against carcinogens or cancer-causing agents to prevent major oxidative damage to cells.
In another study, Brussel sprouts were found to be effective in increasing the levels of a few detoxification enzymes by about 15-30%.
More human research is required in this matter, but there have been a lot more positive studies than negative ones.
High in Fiber
As mentioned above, Brussel sprouts are very rich in dietary fiber. In 78 grams (half cup) of cooked Brussel sprouts, there are 2 grams of fiber, which is about 8% of your daily body needs for Fiber.
There is a lot of health benefits linked to Fiber. It is a very important part of your body’s health. They are mainly responsible for the smooth functioning of the digestive system.
They have been studies that prove that sufficient dietary Fiber can help relieve constipation. They are solely responsible for enhancing stool frequency and softening stool that eases passage for the stool.
Moreover, the dietary fiber present in Brussel sprouts can decrease the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Rich in Vitamin K
There are a lot of health benefits of consuming vitamin K. Brussel sprouts are rich in vitamin K. There is over 137% of your daily vitamin K needs in just half a cup of cooked Brussel sprouts.
Vitamin K is an important nutrient that is responsible for the process of coagulation that forms blood clots for stopping bleeding.
Moreover, vitamin K is also efficient in promoting healthy bone growth and preventing the body against osteoporosis, an illness that causes progressive bone loss.
Healthy blood sugar levels
Due to a large of essential nutrients available in Brussel sprouts, they are very efficient in keeping your blood sugar levels steady. There have been many studies supporting the claim Brussel sprouts are efficient in reducing the risk of diabetes.
This benefit of Brussel sprouts is likely because of the presence of dietary Fiber in them in high quantity that is highly efficient in controlling the blood sugar levels.
You can consume Brussel sprouts with seasme oil in order to stabilize your blood sugar levels even more.
There have been other studies that tell us that Brussel sprouts are also responsible for enhancing insulin productivity in our body that is responsible for lowering blood sugar.
This benefit is most likely because of the alpha-lipoic acid present in Brussel sprouts, which may stabilize your blood sugar levels through stimulation of insulin.
Rich in Vitamin C
In a half-cup serving of Brussel sprouts ((78 grams), there is about 81% of your daily vitamin C. Vitamin C is responsible for the repair and growth of tissues in your body.
Moreover, it also functions as an antioxidant, is responsible for developments of proteins like collagen, and is likely to increase our immune system’s power.
In a large scale study that included over 11,000 participants, it was found that vitamin C from Brussel sprouts was responsible for reducing the severity of the common cold by cutting short its duration by about 8% in adults.
The Bottom line
Brussels sprouts have a lot of health benefits. These benefits are due to the presence of healthy nutrients like antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and Fiber.
Other health benefits are linked to sprouts indirectly, like reducing the risk of cancer, improving blood sugar control, and reducing inflammation.
Brussel sprouts are good for you if you add them daily diet schedule. They can turn your ordinary meal into a balanced one.
So, what do you think? Will you add Brussel sprouts to your daily diet? Do let us know in the comments section down below.
