Is it fruit or vegetable? Is it toxic or fit for human consumption? Rhubarb is a thriller to many, however vitamin marketing consultant Fiona Hunter can shed some mild and provides us loads of causes to provide it a strive…
What’s Rhubarb?
Rhubarb’s pink fleshy stems have an intensely bitter style, which can be why rhubarb attracts such sturdy opinions. Whereas it is largely used for candy dishes — rhubarb crumble and rhubarb & custard are two favorites — it additionally works properly in savory dishes, pastries like muffins, and makes scrumptious jams and chutney.
Cultivated rhubarb, grown in a darkened shed, underneath an upturned bucket or pot, is harvested by candlelight in mid-January to early February. It has a sweeter, extra refined taste than the principle crop rhubarb, which is grown outside and harvested in spring and early summer season. Solely the stems of the plant are edible: the leaves comprise very excessive ranges of oxalic acid, which is toxic.
Well being advantages of rhubarb might embody:
- Helps maintain bones wholesome and reduces the chance of osteoporosis
- Help in wound therapeutic
- Safety towards coronary heart illness
- Aids digestion
- Reducing of blood strain
- Lowering the chance of most cancers
- Discount of irritation
- Lowering the chance of sort 2 diabetes
- Preserve eye well being
- Antibacterial properties
Uncover our full vary of well being advantages guides and take a look at a few of our rhubarb recipes, from rhubarb elderflower cake to rhubarb and grain chops.
Nutrient profile
1 portion (140g) of rhubarb, stewed with out sugar, incorporates roughly:
- 15 energy
- 0g fats
- 1.3g of protein
- 2.4g fiber
- 0.9 g carbohydrates (0.9 g sugar)
- 0g salt
What are the principle well being advantages of rhubarb?
1. Could assist maintain bones wholesome and scale back the chance of osteoporosis
Rhubarb is an efficient supply of vitamin Ok, an necessary nutrient wanted for wholesome bones. Vitamin Ok prompts a protein referred to as osteocalcin, which inspires bones to retailer calcium. Research present that folks with larger intakes of vitamin Ok had been much less prone to endure hip fractures.
2. Could support in wound therapeutic
Vitamin Ok is crucial to make the proteins crucial for blood clotting, which helps wounds heal.
3. Could Assist Defend In opposition to Coronary heart Illness
A research revealed within the American Journal of Scientific vitamin discovered that taking vitamin Ok dietary supplements slowed the development of coronary artery calcification (CAC), a situation during which calcium builds up within the arteries, limiting blood circulation. Polyphenols, a bunch of phytochemicals present in rhubarb, tea, berries and crimson wine, might present further safety.
4. Promotes Digestion
Rhubarb incorporates a bunch of compounds referred to as sennosides (additionally present in senna), which may act as a pure laxative and assist forestall constipation. It is usually a helpful supply of dietary fiber that helps maintain the digestive system wholesome.
5. Could assist decrease blood strain
Rhubarb is a supply of potassium, which helps counteract the dangerous results of consuming an excessive amount of salt. A research revealed within the European Coronary heart Journal revealed that ladies with the best consumption of potassium had been 13 % much less prone to have a coronary heart assault or stroke.
6. Could assist scale back the chance of most cancers
A gaggle of phytochemicals referred to as anthocyanins, which give rhubarb its attribute rose-red colour, are believed to assist neutralize free radicals, which in flip might assist shield towards sure varieties of most cancers. Varieties with a vibrant crimson pores and skin present the next content material of anthocyanins.
7. Could Assist Cut back Irritation
Anthocyanins have been proven to have an anti-inflammatory impact within the physique. Power irritation has been linked to quite a few illnesses, together with coronary heart illness, Alzheimer’s illness and arthritis.
8. Could assist scale back the chance of sort 2 diabetes
One cup (140 g) of stewed rhubarb offers 20 % of the really useful every day consumption of the mineral manganese, which has been proven to assist enhance glucose tolerance. A research revealed within the journal Diabetes Care discovered that in postmenopausal ladies, the next consumption of manganese was related to a decrease danger of sort 2 diabetes.
9. Can assist maintain eyes wholesome
Rhubarb incorporates vitamin C and the phytochemical lutein, each of which assist shield the eyes from free radical injury that enhance the chance of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
10. Imagined to have antibacterial properties
The roots of the rhubarb plant have been utilized in Chinese language drugs for 1000’s of years for his or her antibacterial properties. It’s now being investigated whether or not the stems additionally supply the identical advantages.
Is rhubarb toxic?
Rhubarb leaves are toxic: they’re very excessive in oxalic acid; the stem is edible. Rhubarb is excessive in calcium oxalate, which may enhance the chance of kidney stones in delicate folks. The excessive ranges of vitamin Ok also can intrude with the blood-thinning remedy warfarin.
Is rhubarb a fruit?
Though we have a tendency to consider it as a fruit, and it is largely utilized in candy dishes, rhubarb is definitely a vegetable that belongs to the identical household as sorrel.
Lastly…
Rhubarb is excessive in vitamins, giving it a number of well being advantages. Nonetheless, a danger is that it’s typically eaten with a number of sugar resulting from its sharp, bitter style. You may scale back the quantity of sugar you want by combining it with naturally candy fruits comparable to bananas or strawberries or through the use of a sugar-free sweetener comparable to xylitol, stevia or aspartame.
Learn additional:
A Information to Rhubarb
Rhubarb recipes
April recipes
Methods to cook dinner rhubarb (video)
