Christmas in the UK is a traditional time for the Brussel sprout. It is, however, a vegetable that elicits a very Marmite-like response (people love them or hate them). A section of the population appear to have inherited a particular sensitivity to the bitter thiocyanates the sprouts contain. This is a pity as the vegetable is an an excellent source of vitamins. Some people may also have been conditioned to avoid sprouts by childhood exposure to the sprouts that were grown at that time. Strains of modern sprouts have been developed with much reduced thiocyanate levels. Any remaining bitter taste can also be reduced, it is claimed (https://www.livestrong.com/article/500839-how-to-reduce-the bitter-taste-in-brussels-sprouts/), by the simple procedure of cutting the sprout in half before cooking.
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