Eating salad is generally good for your #health but sometimes eating the same thing can get boring and you will less likely stick to your health goals (I've been there!). Are you tired of eating the same greens like kale, Romaine, baby spinach salads? Try adding Brussels sprouts to the mix. I noticed that Brussels sprouts based salads started popping up on the menus at many restaurants and I decided to give it a try. My first experience was a Brussels sprout Caesar salad and it was the best Caesar salad I've ever eaten! Since then there was no looking back and I regularly eat Brussels sprouts based salads because they taste better and they are better for your health. Did you know that Brussels sprouts have double the fiber, triple the protein, one hundred times more vitamin C, and double the vitamin B6 than Romaine lettuce(1-3)? Also, Brussels sprouts have more calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium per serving than Romaine lettuce (2,3). Raw Brussels sprouts do not have any odor typically associated with cooked sprouts but rather they have a great taste with a delightful crunchy texture. Simply replace whatever salad green you use with Brussels sprouts and dress the salad like you ordinarily would. In addition to having an amazing crunchy texture and flavor, sprouts stay crunchy for days in the fridge unlike regular salad which gets mushy the next day. Give them a try!
Ingredients:
1. 16 oz. of sprouts (about 50 grams or large container)
2. 3/4 cup Greek dressing
3. 1 cup olive medley
4. 1 cup of grape or cherry tomatoes
5. 1-1.5 cups of feta cheese
6. Optional: 1/8 cup of red wine vinegar for acidity
Instructions:
1. Wash sprouts.
2. Cut sprouts in half then cut into 0.5-1 cm portions as seen below.
3. Chop olives, tomatoes to desired sizes.
4. Dress sprouts with salad dressing and toppings as you would any salad.
5. Optional: Add a little red wine vinegar for acidity.
Brussels sprouts have double the fiber, triple the protein, one hundred times more vitamin C, and double the vitamin B6 than Romaine lettuce
What's the bottom line?
Brussels sprouts are so healthy they are considered a #superfood (4) which is defined as a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and #wellness. In theory, the more super foods we incorporate into our diets, the healthier we may become. Incorporating Brussels sprouts into your salad routine can potentially benefit you by:
Increasing your nutrient intake to keep you healthier (1-3).
Decreasing inflammation and therefore keeping a variety of diseases at bay (5).
Reduced cancer risk (6,7)
Increasing fiber intake which can keep you full to help achieve your #weightloss goals (1-3, 9), and reduce your risk of heart disease (10)
Enhance your immune system since they are high in vitamin C (1-3, 11,12)
"Incorporate super-foods into your diet to boost your overall health" - Dr. Hansra MD
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References:
Patient Care at NYU Langone Health. Warm Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad. http://faces.med.nyu.edu/patient-resources/nutrition/purple-spoon-healthy-recipes/warm-brussels-sprout-caesar-salad. Accessed May 24, 2020.
USDA. Brussels sprouts, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170383/nutrients. Accessed May 24 2020.
USDA. Lettuce, romaine, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/746769/nutrients. Accessed May 24 2020.
Runner's World. Brussels Sprouts: Cold-Weather Super-food. https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a20836889/brussels-sprouts-cold-weather-superfood/. Accessed June 6 2020.
Jiang Y, Wu SH, Shu XO, et al. Cruciferous vegetable intake is inversely correlated with circulating levels of proinflammatory markers in women. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014;114(5):700‐8.e2.
Verhagen H, de Vries A, Nijhoff WA, et al. Effect of Brussels sprouts on oxidative DNA-damage in man. Cancer Lett. 1997;114(1-2):127‐130.
Hoelzl C, Glatt H, Meinl W, et al. Consumption of Brussels sprouts protects peripheral human lymphocytes against 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP) and oxidative DNA-damage: results of a controlled human intervention trial. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008;52(3):330‐341.
Valko M, Rhodes CJ, Moncol J, Izakovic M, Mazur M. Free radicals, metals and antioxidants in oxidative stress-induced cancer. Chem Biol Interact. 2006;160(1):1‐40.
Christodoulides S, Dimidi E, Fragkos KC, Farmer AD, Whelan K, Scott SM. Systematic review with meta-analysis: effect of fibre supplementation on chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2016;44(2):103‐116.
Threapleton DE, Greenwood DC, Evans CE, et al. Dietary fibre intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2013;347:f6879.
Hemilä H, Chalker E. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(1):CD000980. Published 2013 Jan 31.
Chambial S, Dwivedi S, Shukla KK, John PJ, Sharma P. Vitamin C in disease prevention and cure: an overview. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2013;28(4):314‐328.
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