Once in the digestive system, Brussels sprouts can produce somewhat, erm, unwelcome consequences – or, in Christmas- cracker speak, un-fart-unate (back) side effects.
Why do sprouts make you fart?
The culprit is a complex sugar called raffinose, also found in several other vegetables (including, famously, haricot beans). Because most of us lack the right enzymes to break down raffinose, this job is performed by bacteria, which in turn produce gases. Unfortunately, one of those is sulphide – the smell of which is repulsive to most people.
Can you stop them making you fart?
Happily, there are various means of stemming the gaseous tide. Try to improve your gut flora; eat sprouts daily to train your body to deal better with the raffinose; boil them for at least five minutes; chop them up very small or shred them; or eat them with mint, ideally fresh. If all else fails, simply point at the dog and cry: “No, Fido! Not again!”
Check out these Brussels sprouts recipes
