Discover the Magic of Belgium: Top 14 Fun Facts About Brussels You Never Knew!

1. Sprout Man: Tiny Veggie Superhero

If Brussels sprouts were a superhero, they'd be the tiny but mighty "Sprout Man": Fighting malnutrition and dull dinners with their green, leafy fists! Here's the secret: These little green gems are low in calories yet pack a powerful punch of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and even have the power to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce inflammation. How's that for undercover veggie justice?
Source => healthline.com

2. Miniature Green Mountains of Belgium

Once hailed as the green, miniature cousins of the mountain ranges of Brobdingnag: Brussels sprouts were actually first cultivated in Belgium back in the 13th century and, despite their diminutive appearance, they continue to reign supreme over the dinner plates of Northern Europe and beyond.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

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=> Fun Facts about Paris

3. Veggie Walk of Fame Star

Hold onto your salad forks, folks – we've got a mini green celebrity among us! With a family line that includes nutritional superstars like broccoli and kale, Brussels sprouts deserve their own star on the veggie Walk of Fame: Hailing from the esteemed cruciferous vegetable clan, these tiny cabbage lookalikes pack a health-boosting punch, as a single cup of raw sprouts provides all the daily vitamin K you need, as well as substantial amounts of vitamin C, calcium, and protein – a true (tasty) force to be reckoned with!
Source => medicalnewstoday.com

4. Home Run for Brussels Sprouts

Move over, Belgian waffles, there's a new star in town: batter up for Brussels sprouts! Despite their misleading name, these tiny cabbage look-alikes never swung their way through Belgium before hitting a home run in our gardens: they've actually been hanging about in ancient Rome since around 400 B.C, and only won a spot on the Low Countries' culinary team in the 13th century, hence their close association with Brussels.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Sprout Skeptics: Anti-Cancer Antics Uncertain

Calling all sprout skeptics: assemble your pitchforks and hold on to your salad spinners, for the tiny green goblins of the vegetable world might not be the cancer-cloaking superheroes they're cracked up to be! Here's the serious reveal: while Brussels sprouts do boast some nifty glucosinolates that can morph into potentially buddy-buddy isothiocyanates, current research on their anti-cancer antics remains up in the air and inconclusive – so don't go ditching the rest of your cruciferous comrades just yet.
Source => hsph.harvard.edu

6. Sidekick for Popeye: Vitamin A Power

If Popeye had a green-thumb sidekick, they'd surely be feasting on Brussels sprouts: these tiny cabbage-like powerhouses provide a hearty dose of vitamin A that, once in our system, converts into retinoic acid - a promising candidate for fighting back against nasty neurological ninjas like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and motor neurone disease! Researchers have even whipped up a lab-tested synthetic version of this retinoic acid and are crossing their fingers (and neurons) for its future medicinal potential.
Source => dailymail.co.uk

7. War Wartime Rationing: Veggie Growth Spurts

Gone with the Thin: When the British gave a whole new meaning to "eat your vegetables" during wartime rationing, kids experienced top-notch growth spurts and slimmed-down waistlines. On a diet of boiled cabbage, corned beef, beetroot, and grated raw carrot, schoolchildren outgrew and out-lost their junk food-fueled counterparts in a surprisingly nutritious twist!
Source => theguardian.com

8. Vitamin C Conga Line: Flirting with Veggies

Next time you're feeling a little "peckish" for vitamin C, ditch the orange and flirt with some vivacious veggies for an antioxidant tango: One large yellow pepper boasts a jaw-dropping 340 milligrams of vitamin C, while a medium orange modestly carries only 70 milligrams. The vitamin C conga line continues with raw Brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, kiwi, and strawberries, all outshining the citrus orb in their flirtatious quest to boost your immune system.
Source => today.com

9. The Secret Weapon for Cooking Sprouts

Fear not the tiny green orbs of doom, armed with a secret weapon to tame their venomous bite: Blanch your Brussels sprouts in salt water for just two minutes before cooking, and they'll transform from nefarious nemeses to scrumptious sidekicks, tender and crisp, packed with nutrients, and devoid of bitterness!
Source => livestrong.com

10. Jack and the (Brussels Sprout) Beanstalk

Defying the "short and stout" stereotype like a leafy green Jack and the Beanstalk, one brussel sprout plant shot up to stardom and left mere mortals gazing up in awe: Towering at 3.35 meters (10 ft 11.8 in), Dickerson Philip of Hawthorne, California, grew the tallest brussel sprout plant ever recorded, as confirmed by Guinness World Records on July 18, 2022.
Source => guinnessworldrecords.com

11. Time-Traveling Tastebud Saviors

Brace yourselves, veggie enthusiasts: your sproutstanding leafy hero once time-traveled to save your taste buds from a life of monotony! Hailing from the 13th-century Belgian lands, Brussels sprouts have since conquered the plates of cabbage connoisseurs across the globe: a Gemmifera cultivar group member growing in whimsical helical formations, they courageously fend off malnourishment with their vitamin K and vitamin C powers, while potentially basking in sulforaphane research fame. Bow to their sproutastic greatness as you pay culinary tribute: remove them from their stalk, strip them of their withered cape, and grace them with your favorite cooking technique, from boiling to roasting in a 45-minute dance of gustatory delight.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Secret Floral Potential of Sprouts

Move over, mini-cabbages — Brussels sprouts have been hiding their true floral potential all this time: These deceptive little green orbs are actually axillary buds that grow alongside the stems and leaves, with a secret agenda of blossoming into yellow flowers in their second year if left unharvested.
Source => frutas-hortalizas.com

13. Sauté Pan Spotlight for Brussels Sprouts

Move over, oven-roasting! Brussels sprouts are rolling onto the sauté pan stage like tasty little green beach balls craving their moment in the spotlight: You can achieve heavenly charred, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-and-meaty-on-the-inside Brussels sprouts by sautéing them in a heavy-bottomed pan with olive oil over medium-high heat for just 10 minutes, and a splash of balsamic vinegar will have them singing in flavor harmony.
Source => wellplated.com

14. Game of Thrones Veggie Extra Audition

Brussels sprouts: the only vegetable to have ever successfully auditioned as a background extra on Game of Thrones. Indeed, these mini cabbages have a method acting repertoire so vast that even Meryl Streep would eat her hat (or rather, her sprout): They can be roasted, stir-fried, steamed, and grilled – each technique giving way to such a tantalizing smorgasbord of flavors and textures that it would almost be a crime not to explore them all.
Source => tasteofhome.com