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We have to admit, we were never big fans of Brussels Sprouts and we never really thought much about where they came from or what kind of history they have. Turns out, they're pretty fascinating!

There's always an exception
Brussels sprouts are those tiny baby cabbage things that no one likes right? Well yes, except for when they're not. Like one time in Wales in October 1992 when Bernard Lavery managed to set a Guinness World Record by growing a “sprout” weighing 18 pounds, 3 ounces—you can bet that was a Christmas to remember.

Where there's smoke, there's fire
It seems the flatulent properties of Brussels sprouts is no new discovery. In fact, as far back as 3000 BC, they were being prescribed in China to treat bowel problems. Which seems a bit counter intuitive, like throwing gas on a fire to put it out—but, you know, you can't really argue with ancient Chinese wisdom.

Don't ruin your dinner
Usually when most people find Brussels sprouts on their plate, they take their time to eat them—it's not like there aren't tastier things to eat first. But some people, like Linus Urbanec from Sweden, are wired differently, and for some reason can't get enough of the little green fart dumplings. In fact, he likes them so much that, in 2008, under the watchful eye of a team from Guinness World Records, he set a record for eating 31 Brussels sprouts in one minute.

A long way from home
The Brussels sprout is unsurprisingly named for the Belgian capital city, where it became quite popular in the 16th century. But the sprout's history goes back much further than that. Descended originally from wild cabbages that grew in Afghanistan and Iran, they eventually evolved into the curious miniatures we eat today—so it's not just human immigrants who have a hard time in the west.

Something of a victim
The Brussels sprout isn't the most popular vegetable, and it sure takes some abuse on the dinner plate from those less inclined to give it a chance. But the victimhood of the Brussels sprout doesn't start in the supermarket. Amazingly, the lowly junior cabbage is the favored victim of up to 46 pests and diseases, making it all but impossible to successfully grow them organically in the UK, which could make a good excuse for not wanting to eat them, but then you'd have to go all-organic.

We've never really given Brussels Sprouts a second thought, but now that we've learned more about their amazing history we're quite intrigued about this unassuming little vegetable. In fact, we may just have some tonight!

Article Source: Grunge