This is why so many people hate Brussels sprouts (and you probably do too)
At number one on the list of vegetables people absolutely loathe: Brussels sprouts. The absolute nightmare for picky eaters. And believe me, there are also plenty of adults who shudder at these bitter little green cabbages. You too? Then I have a reassuring thought for you: you can’t help it at all that this type of vegetable makes you feel sick.
There are actually several scientific explanations for why so many people find Brussels sprouts disgusting. So if someone calls you a drama queen the next time Brussels sprouts are served, you can blame it all on science.
It’s in your genes
Do you automatically pull a disgusted face when you see Brussels sprouts while your partner happily tucks in? Then it may well be that your genes are wired differently. According to American scientists from the University of Kentucky, certain genes make bitter vegetables taste extra bitter. In this case, it concerns the taste gene TAS2E38, of which we humans have two variants. That gene combination means we taste bitter flavours either not at all or barely. But do you have two TAS2R38-PAV genes? Then you’re out of luck. Bitter food tastes even more bitter to you. See? You really can’t help it.
It’s down to your past
That sounds very dramatic. But scientists from London Bank University did discover that your aversion to Brussels sprouts may be rooted in negative experiences from the past. As a baby, you drank little besides breast milk and mainly ate sweet foods. The bitterness of Brussels sprouts is the complete opposite of that. Even so, your parents made you eat Brussels sprouts because they knew they were good for you. And that’s where your intense hatred of Brussels sprouts comes from.
It’s down to your defence mechanism
The fact that you immediately gag when you put a Brussels sprout in your mouth may also have to do with your internal defence mechanism. Our bodies are programmed to regard sweet food as ‘good’. After all, it provides energy. Bitter food, on the other hand, is associated by our bodies with the taste of poisonous plants. So when you eat a Brussels sprout, your body is actually sending out a warning signal that it needs to get out. Hence the immediate feeling of sickness.
How to make them a little better
Brussels sprouts may be unpopular, but they’re also incredibly good for us. So we might as well make the best of them. Want to give them another try and get them down without gagging? Incorporate them into a dish you already know you like. How about loaded fries with Brussels sprouts? If you still can’t stand them, remember that you’ll probably grow out of it. The older you get, the less sensitive your taste buds become. So feel free to try again later. In about 10 years or so.
Also read:
- How to stop the whole house from smelling like bacon (or Brussels sprouts)
- Recipe: deep-fried Brussels sprouts (does this still count as a vegetable?)
- This is the most hated food in the world
Sources: AD and 24Kitchen
