Brussels sprouts – how they benefit your health

• Checking out the nutrients in Brussels sprouts: vitamins, calories and iron content
• Fresh and healthy: Brussels sprouts supporting fat metabolism and digestion
• Enjoy raw: are Brussels sprouts poisonous or healthy?
• FAQs about Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are in season from November to January and are prized as being particularly flavoursome during this time – especially after the first frost. This is when the starch they contain is partly converted into sugar, which makes them taste milder and sweeter.

General rule for storing them: in the vegetable compartment in the fridge they’ll stay fresh for up to eight days, and they’ll keep even better if they’re wrapped in some damp kitchen towel. In a 0 degree compartment like the BioFresh safe from Liebherr, they will last longer, with a shelf life of as much as 20 days. Important: do not store together with apples or tomatoes, as these secrete ethylene, which will cause the Brussels sprouts to wilt faster. To extend their shelf life, you can opt for frozen Brussels sprouts, which are shock-frozen as soon as they’re harvested. This is the best way to preserve vitamins and minerals.

With just 41 kcal per 100 g, but a high percentage of protein and fibre that fills you up, the small cabbage vegetable is ideal if you’re looking to lose weight.

The bitter substances play a key role because they’ve been shown to reduce your cholesterol level and so support good heart health. In addition, they regulate the natural feeling of fullness and prevent cravings. At the same time, they stimulate the production of digestive juices in the stomach, liver and pancreas, which makes digestion more efficient – this is ideal for combating sluggish digestion or building up healthy intestinal flora over the long term.

Despite their health benefits, Brussels sprouts, like any other type of cabbage, can cause bloating in people with a sensitive constitution. This is where spices that promote digestion, such as caraway, anise or fennel tea, can help. If you’ve got stomach ache, you can still enjoy Brussels sprouts because the bitter substances have a soothing effect on the stomach lining.

And don’t forget: thanks to its high content of iron, vitamin C and other micronutrients, Brussels sprouts also supportblood formation – making it a very healthy vegetable in every respect.

The widespread assumption that raw Brussels sprouts are poisonousis a myth – in actual fact, the cabbage vegetable is entirely edible even uncooked and is actually very rich in nutrients. If it’s eaten raw, many heat-sensitive vitamins such as vitamin C, B vitamins and folic acid are fully retained, as are valuable minerals like potassium and iron.

So if you eat Brussels sprouts raw, you’ll benefit from all the health advantages they offer. Nevertheless, when they’re raw, they can be heavy on the stomach, because the high fibre content can cause bloating or stomach ache in people with a sensitive digestive system.

If you want to try eating this vegetable raw, you should start with small quantities and ideally slice it up finely or cut it into thin strips. This will make it more digestible and give it a pleasantly nutty taste with a slight hint of bitterness. Brussels sprouts are particularly delicious in the form of a raw vegetable salad, for example combined with fruity ingredients such as orange slices and a light honey and mustard dressing.

If you really want to play things safe, you can also blanch the florets briefly before you eat them. This will make them milder and easier to digest, without losing too many nutrients.

^{*All specifications given are to be considered as guideline values, and depend in each case on the type of foodstuffs and on the proper storage without interruption of the cold chain from harvest/production through to the Liebherr appliance. Should food products have information about minimum shelf life, the date on the packaging always applies.}