Which Packs a Greater Antioxidant Punch?

Fall is here, meaning it’s the peak season for your favorite cruciferous vegetables: broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

Rich in antioxidants, both of these green veggies are great additions to your diet. But does one pack more of a nutritional punch with these health-boosting compounds?

Here’s what three dietitians had to say about how to choose between broccoli and Brussels sprouts for maximum antioxidant benefits.

Antioxidants are found in fruits, vegetables (including broccoli and Brussels sprouts), seeds, nuts, leaves, roots, and flours, said Namrita Brooke, PhD, RDN, exercise physiologist, sports nutritionist, and cycling coach at BaseCamp. And they’re crucial for your health.

Antioxidants’ job is to counteract free radicals, which are unstable molecules that build up from stress, poor diet, or a sedentary lifestyle, Natalie Rizzo, RD, a NYC-based sports dietitian and founder of Greenletes, told Health.

However, when someone doesn’t have enough antioxidants in their diet, the body can enter a state of oxidative stress, contributing to health issues, according to Rizzo.

“Antioxidants work by neutralizing these free radicals and reducing the damage that contributes to inflammation, accelerated aging, and chronic disease risk,” Cara Harbstreet, RD, LD, a Kansas City-based registered dietitian and the owner of Street Smart Nutrition, told Health.

There are lots of antioxidants out there, but they’re often sorted into two categories:

• Direct (exogenous) antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, and others step in right away to neutralize the free radicals in your body, Brooke told Health.
• Indirect (endogenous) antioxidants—including catalase and uric acid—work more behind the scenes by activating or inhibiting certain enzymes.

These categories aren’t always so neat, however. Curcumin (found in turmeric) is one example of an antioxidant that has both direct and indirect capabilities.

What Can Antioxidants Do for Your Health?

Science generally agrees that antioxidants are good for you, but research is mixed about their ability to actually prevent health conditions.

Certain studies have shown that antioxidants can ward off free radical damage that has been associated with cancer development. However, multiple randomized controlled trials have found antioxidant supplements had no protective effect on cancer risk, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Some of these trials have even suggested that high doses of vitamin E and beta-carotene could raise the risk of lung and prostate cancer in certain populations.

When it comes to heart disease, it’s a similar story. A 2022 study in Scientific Reports suggested antioxidants such as zinc and vitamins A, E, and C may “slow the development and progression” of heart disease.

However, the authors of a 2024 literature review in Nutrients concluded that evidence of antioxidants’ beneficial effect on heart disease long-term “is still lacking.”

Both of these cruciferous vegetables have impressive antioxidant profiles.

One serving (85 grams) of raw broccoli contains:

• Vitamin C: 78 milligrams (mg)
• Vitamin E: 0.13 mg
• Niacin: 0.54 mg
• Beta-carotene: 79 micrograms (mcg)
• Lutein and zeaxanthin: 633 mcg

Meanwhile, one cup (88 grams) of raw Brussels sprouts has:

• Vitamin C: 75 mg
• Vitamin E: 0.77 mg
• Niacin: 0.66 mg
• Beta-carotene: 396 mcg
• Lutein and zeaxanthin: 1,400 mcg

Both vegetables contain other antioxidants too, though exact amounts are harder to pin down. Those include antioxidants such as flavonoids and sulforaphane.

It’s Not Just Antioxidants

These vegetables contain other nutrients, too. In 88 grams (g) of Brussels sprouts and 85 g of broccoli, you’ll find:

• Fiber: about 3.3 g for Brussels sprouts, 2 g for broccoli
• Potassium: 342 mg for Brussels sprouts, 258 mg for broccoli
• Vitamin K: 156 mcg for Brussels sprouts, 87 mcg for broccoli
• Folate: 54 mcg for Brussels sprouts, 55 mcg for broccoli

“Fiber aids in digestion, improves satiety and blood glucose control, decreases cholesterol and heart disease risk, and promotes healthy gut bacteria,” Brooke said. “Potassium aids blood pressure and muscle contraction, and vitamin K supports bone and vascular health.” As for folate? That’s a B vitamin that helps the body make new cells.

Choosing between broccoli and Brussels sprouts isn’t an easy task. Both of these vegetables are rich in antioxidants and are “excellent” additions to your diet, Rizzo said.

Comparing Antioxidants Can Get Complicated

There’s no one vegetable that comes in first when it comes to antioxidant content—broccoli and Brussels sprouts have varying concentrations of each compound. Plus, each of these antioxidants does different things for the body.

For example, if you’re concerned about cardiovascular health, broccoli may be the better pick—it contains more heart-healthy antioxidants called flavonoids, specifically kaempferol and quercetin.

But Brussels sprouts take the cake when it comes to beta-carotene and lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations—these antioxidants are known for supporting eye health.

Meanwhile, broccoli sprouts—very young broccoli plants—contain the highest amount of sulforaphane, an antioxidant effective against carcinogens. It’s also being investigated as a possible treatment for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

You can find sulforaphane in Brussels sprouts and broccoli, too, though levels depend largely on how the vegetables are cooked.

The Best Choice? Have Them Both

At the end of the day, all antioxidants are good for you—so rotating between both vegetables in your weekly meals could be the best way to cover all your nutritional bases, Brooke advised. Your taste preferences, cooking style, and budget should guide your choice too, Harbstreet added.

Just make sure that some vegetable is ending up on your plate every day, whether it’s broccoli, Brussels sprouts, or something else. Adults need anywhere from 2–4 cups of veggies daily, depending on age and sex.

“Since many of us struggle to eat enough servings of vegetables each day, try not to focus on the minutiae of optimizing every bite,” Harbstreet said.

Antioxidants are crucial to keeping the body functioning as it should—both broccoli and Brussels sprouts pack plenty of these health-boosting antioxidants, as well as other nutrients that are good for your health.

Adding more vegetables to your diet overall is a great starting point in supporting cellular health and anti-inflammatory processes, Harbstreet said.