Waitrose has unveiled its new 'child-friendly' sprout in time for Christmas.
The scourge of many a child’s plate, the sprout is a Christmas stalwart, but is often left untouched due to its perceived bitter taste.
To counter this problem, Waitrose has worked with its growers over the past year to create a milder flavour sprout that is low on bitterness and high on sweetness.
The sprout will arrive in branches this week for a limited period in the run up to Christmas.
According to scientists, children are not just being fussy when it comes to the vegetable - it all stems from a survival instinct as harmful toxins tend to have a bitter taste, just as sprouts do.
But there is a good reason why parents are keen for their kids to love sprouts - they have twice as much vitamin C per 100g than an orange.
Amy Lance, chief sprout taster at Waitrose, said: “The humble Brussels sprout is a wonderful bundle of deliciousness, but so often overlooked by children or picky eaters.
'Wehave worked hard over the past year to develop this sprout which we believe will win over even the most ardent sprout haters. We hope it will get a massive thumbs up from children this Christmas and encourage them to ‘eat their greens’.'
Chair of the Brassica Growers Association, Matthew Rawson, who grows about four per cent of the UK's sprouts, said: 'The poor Brussels sprout is often unfairly stigmatised. But over the last few years, there has been a massive shift among growers.
'We have been working with plant breeders, and taken varieties with sweeter flavours. If we want people to buy and eat our product, we have to grow them.'
No comments yet