They grow on a stalk but are often sold already removed and in a bag, ready to prepare. Many people enjoy Brussels sprouts cooked, while others eat them chopped and raw, such as in coleslaw or a salad.
With their bitter flavor and crunchy texture, you may wonder whether you can eat uncooked Brussels sprouts.
This article reviews the safety of eating raw Brussels sprouts, how cooking changes their nutrient content, and ways to prepare them.
Some people avoid eating certain legumes, grains, and vegetables unless they’ve been cooked due to concerns about antinutrients, or compounds that can inhibit the absorption of important minerals.
For instance, spinach contains oxalates, and soybeans are high in phytates. These naturally occurring compounds may block the absorption of minerals like zinc, calcium, and iron in your body. Cooking reduces antinutrients (1, 2, 3, 4).
While Brussels sprouts don’t contain some of the most common antinutrients, they do contain compounds called glucosinolates.
Glucosinolates have been found to reduce the absorption of iodine. Iodine deficiency can interfere with thyroid function and eventually lead to goiter, which is an abnormally enlarged thyroid gland (5).
While people with existing thyroid conditions like hypothyroidism may want to minimize their glucosinolate consumption, eating them as part of a well-balanced diet is low risk for most healthy people.
Plus, glucosinolates appear to offer health benefits, such as anticancer properties (6, 7).
Still, if you’re concerned about consuming glucosinolates, these are best reduced from Brassica vegetables like Brussels sprouts by boiling them. Other methods of cooking like steaming have been found to preserve the most glucosinolates (7, 8).
Eating raw Brussels sprouts is similar to eating other raw cruciferous vegetables like cabbage or broccoli and may cause similar side effects.
In addition to having a bitter flavor, raw Brussels sprouts may increase gas in some people.
They contain an indigestible fiber called raffinose, which can be tough on the stomach. When bacteria in your large intestine try to break this and other indigestible fibers down, they produce gases like hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane (9, 10).
This may cause even more discomfort among people with existing digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as well as in those who may not be used to eating Brussels sprouts or similar vegetables.
Like other greens and cruciferous vegetables, Brussels sprouts tend to have a certain window for cooking that gives them an ideal flavor and texture.
If cooked too long, Brussels sprouts can become mushy and bitter. If they’re not cooked long enough, they can be very hard to chew and not as sweet.
A good starting place is to steam, sauté, or boil Brussels sprouts for 5–7 minutes. If roasting them in the oven, start with 20–30 minutes.
Cooking Brussels sprouts releases the enzyme myrosinase. It breaks down glucosinolates into isothiocyanates, which may have anticancer properties. Be careful though, as cooking vegetables over 284˚F (140˚C), such as when roasting, destroys glucosinolates (7, 11, 12).
Studies on cruciferous vegetables have found that water-cooking methods like boiling preserve the most antioxidants, especially carotenoids. What’s more, cooking vegetables, in general, increases their total antioxidant power (13).
Levels of water-soluble vitamins, especially vitamin C, tend to decrease when you cook vegetables using water-heavy methods like boiling. On the other hand, some studies have found that levels of vitamins E and K increase when you cook cruciferous vegetables (14).
Brussels sprouts have a reputation for being disliked by children and adults alike, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Like many other vegetables, the flavor of Brussels sprouts changes depends on how you prepare them.
Raw, uncooked Brussels sprouts are best when they’re chopped or diced into small pieces. Try raw Brussels sprouts in some of these ways:
Brussels sprouts are also delicious cooked. Wash them, trim them, and cut them into your desired shape or size. Try cooking them in some of these ways:
Brussels sprouts are a nutritious vegetable in the cruciferous family. While they’re often enjoyed cooked using methods like roasting, steaming, or boiling, you can also enjoy Brussels sprouts raw.
The most common side effect of eating raw Brussels sprouts is that they may cause gas in some people. Also, those who have hypothyroidism may want to avoid them in large amounts due to their potential iodine-inhibiting compounds.
For most people, however, the biggest determinant of whether you should eat them raw is your taste preference.
Chop them up into a salad, layer them into a sandwich, or shred them and make them into a coleslaw.
Try this today: Roast Brussels sprouts drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Try these as a side dish or mixed into a bowl of grains, leafy greens, roasted tofu, and seeds for a filling and healthy meal.
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Fun facts about Brussels sprouts: All parts of the Brussels sprout plant is edible, including the leaves, which can serve as a substitute for cabbage in any recipe.
For instance, spinach contains oxalates, and soybeans are high in phytates. These naturally occurring compounds may block the absorption of minerals like zinc, calcium, and iron in your body. Cooking reduces antinutrients (1, 2, 3, 4).
Studies on cruciferous vegetables have found that water-cooking methods like boiling preserve the most antioxidants, especially carotenoids. What’s more, cooking vegetables, in general, increases their total antioxidant power (13).
Some people avoid eating certain legumes, grains, and vegetables unless they’ve been cooked due to concerns about antinutrients, or compounds that can inhibit the absorption of important minerals.
This may cause even more discomfort among people with existing digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as well as in those who may not be used to eating Brussels sprouts or similar vegetables.
Still, if you’re concerned about consuming glucosinolates, these are best reduced from Brassica vegetables like Brussels sprouts by boiling them. Other methods of cooking like steaming have been found to preserve the most glucosinolates (7, 8).
Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.
Leave it to a local farmer to give new life to a part of a plant that is usually tossed in the trash (or the compost). Discover the seasonal beauty of the leaves of the Brussels sprout plant.
Easily confused with collard greens, these leaves have a sweet, milder flavor with a hint of Brussels sprouts yet not as cabbage-y. The leaves are also more tender than collards, so they require less cooking time.
Think of these as Brussels sprout rabe (as in the more mainstream broccoli rabe). These large and flat, fanned-out leaves emerge from the top of a stalk of Brussels sprouts — the actual sprouts grow off the lower portion of the stalk.
Creative ways and recipes to eat Brussels sprout tops and leaves
FAQ
Are you supposed to eat the whole brussel sprout?
Can you eat brussel sprout ends?
When should I not eat brussel sprouts?
How do you eat Brussels sprouts?
For a simple side dish, first cut off the ends of the Brussels sprouts. Mix the sprouts with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then roast them on a baking sheet until they’re crispy. You can also add Brussels sprouts to pasta dishes, frittatas, or stir-fries for a flavorful and nutritious dinner.
What do Brussels sprouts and spinach have in common?
Both are dark green leafy vegetables, which give them rich in soluble fiber and high magnesium content. They are also rich in other vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium and phosphorus and vitamins A, K and the B complex. They help reduce blood pressure, help protect eye health, strengthen immunity and contribute to the well-being of the nervous system.
What to do with brussels sprouts?
Simply changing the way they’re cut or cooked can turn you from a loather to a lover. When Brussels sprouts are shaved into a slaw then combined with sweet pear, they’re especially delicious. Enjoy this slaw by itself, on top of a veggie burger, or in a grain bowl. 3. Boiled Brussels Sprouts With Spicy Mustard Dipping Sauce
Can you eat Brussels sprouts raw?
It is tender and sweet, lacking the bitter cruciferous flavor found in the plant’s sprouts themselves. If the leaves are allowed to grow larger, they will become bitter. Brussels sprouts greens can be eaten raw or cooked. Brussels sprouts leaves are a good source of vitamins A, C, and K. It is also rich with calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium.