The benefits and harms of Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts attract attention for their miniature size. Heads of cabbage resemble a large chestnut or apricot. Thanks to its beneficial properties, the vegetable is becoming more and more popular every day.
The benefits and harms of Brussels sprouts
Composition
The homeland of the vegetable is Belgium. It does not have a wild variety - Brussels sprouts are the result of the work of agricultural technicians.
Due to the substances and trace elements contained in the composition, Brussels sprouts are used even in folk medicine. Vegetable crops contain natural sugars, fiber, proteins and starch. These components take part in the main processes in the body. In addition to the above components, the vegetable contains a huge amount of vitamins that have a general strengthening effect on the body.
Brussels sprouts are rich in organic acids, beta-carotene, thiamine, tocopherol, riboflavin and folic acid.
Brussels sprouts contain the following trace elements: phosphorus, sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium.
In small quantities, Brussels sprouts contain manganese, iron, fluorine, iodine, molybdenum, cobalt, and copper.
Beneficial features
Brussels sprouts have a number of health benefits.
- Folic acid, found in Brussels sprouts, reduces the risk of birth defects in unborn children.
- Brussels sprouts should be present in the diet of people with high blood cholesterol levels and problems with the cardiovascular system.
- It is advisable to introduce Brussels sprouts into the diet of people with impaired vision (vitamin A in the composition helps to fight the problem). Due to the presence of zeaxanthin and lutein in the vegetable, it will be possible to prevent damage to the retina, which leads to visual impairment.
- Irreplaceable Brussels sprouts for people with ARVI, because it contains beta-carotene. This substance increases the volume of the lungs, which protects against asthma or emphysema.
- Due to the presence of vitamin K in the composition of the Brussels sprouts and stimulates the brain. Doctors recommend using vegetables as a prevention of neuronal damage that leads to Alzheimer's disease.
- Brussels sprouts are recommended for the prevention of breast cancer and other malignant neoplasms. Brussels sprouts should also be used to prevent ovarian and colon cancer. With oncology, you cannot use folk remedies alone. They are taken in combination with medicines.
- You can also use a vegetable crop to normalize metabolic processes in the body. Fiber helps to remove waste and toxins from the body. Also, Brussels sprouts are an effective remedy for constipation and normalize the digestive system.
- The presence of vitamin C and dietary fiber helps with heartburn, but the vegetable should be consumed raw or boiled.
- Brussels sprouts are powerful anti-inflammatory agents. It protects the walls of the blood vessels.
These are not all the beneficial properties of Brussels sprouts, there are also medicinal aspects.
Contraindications
Cabbage is harmful for gastrointestinal diseases
For people who do not have health problems, you can eat Brussels sprouts.
It is harmful to people with high acidity of the stomach, it is not recommended for exacerbation of the gastrointestinal tract and for problems with the thyroid gland, with gout and gastritis.
Dishes from Brussels sprouts are contraindicated after a heart attack and for people suffering from Crohn's disease.
With allergies, you need to use vegetable crops with caution.
The nutritional value
The energy value of Brussels sprouts is high, and the calorie content is low: only 43 kcal per 100 g.
The calorie content of red cabbage, cauliflower and white cabbage is slightly lower: 31-32 kcal per 100 g of product.
The ratio of BJU per 100 g: 8 g of carbohydrates and 4.8 g of protein, there is no fat, so the vegetable helps to replenish the calories spent by the body without harming the human figure.
The nutritional value of the product lies in its taste. You can cook a vegetable that is delicate in taste in different ways. Famous chefs, Jamie Oliver and Lazerson, have tons of unusual recipes. Well, if you don't want to spend 1-1.5 hours on cooking culinary masterpieces, you can steam a fresh vegetable a little, chop it, season with oil, pepper and salt, and then serve it as a fresh salad.
Growing
Brussels sprouts are a whimsical garden crop, so it is not easy to grow it in the country. It is not adapted to cold climates. Accordingly, it must be grown in greenhouses. In warm regions, it can be grown in seedlings. It is not recommended to plant seeds in open ground.
Young plants are planted when the soil warms up well. After the vegetable crop has bloomed, it is fed. If the plants appear weak and unhealthy, they are checked for parasites and leaf spots on the leaves, which indicate the presence of disease. Spray the plantings with insecticides carefully so as not to cause a chemical burn to the plants. During the ripening of the culture, as well as during the period when it blooms, sparing insecticides are used.
During the ripening of the crop, make sure that the crop is not attacked by harmful insects that can destroy the entire crop.
Harvesting is done after ripening. Typically, harvest dates are in September or October. By this time, the leaves of the plant are already beginning to turn yellow and fall off. The only exceptions are early hybrids, some of which can be harvested in mid-August. Early varieties are grown under cover. The crop is harvested before the onset of frost.
To get a good harvest, the crop is watered in a timely manner, loosening is done, weeds are harvested.
Harvest storage
In winter, it is correct to store crops in a basement or other cool room. Stems with heads of cabbage can be packed in cellophane. Vegetable culture is stored for about 60 days. To leave the harvest for the winter, heads of cabbage can be wrapped in cellophane and frozen. This helps to increase the shelf life by 1-2 months. The heads of cabbage should be cut off carefully so as not to cause mechanical damage to them.
If Brussels sprouts are improperly stored or handled improperly, the fruits become bitter. In order for the bitter cabbage to acquire a delicate taste, it is boiled. So that the fruit does not taste bitter, it is seasoned with spices.
Recommended varieties for growing
Consider which varieties of Brussels sprouts are suitable for growing in our region.
High-yielding and relatively unpretentious varieties are Kasio, Sapphire, Commander, Druzhnaya Semeyka, Long Island, Rosella, Boxer.
Lovers of the exotic should pay attention to the hybrids of the Grape Bunch, Pomegranate Bracelet, Sanda, Merry Company.
The best varieties for growing in Siberia are Franklin F1, Dallik, Dolmik F1. Seeds should be purchased only in specialized stores.