Health Benefits of Rhubarb
This tart, ruby-red perennial is botanically a vegetable, though we cook it like a fruit. It provides vitamin K, vitamin C, calcium, potassium and fibre, plus antioxidant anthocyanins in the red stalks.
Wellness
This stalky veggie is often overlooked in the produce aisle, but it brings plenty to a balanced diet:
Bone health Rhubarb is a good source of vitamin K, which your body needs for healthy bones and normal blood clotting. (Its calcium is mostly bound to oxalate, so it is not a reliable calcium source.)
Digestive health Rhubarb provides fibre and has long been used as a gentle natural aid for regularity.
Antioxidants The red stalks contain anthocyanins and other polyphenols that help protect your cells from oxidative stress.
Heart health Rhubarb’s fibre and potassium support healthy cholesterol and blood pressure as part of a balanced diet. Just watch the sugar you cook it with.
A safety note Rhubarb leaves are poisonous, so always discard them. The stalks are high in oxalates, so people prone to kidney stones may want to enjoy rhubarb only occasionally and check with their GP.
Beauty
From the inside Vitamin C helps your body make collagen, and rhubarb’s antioxidants help protect skin cells from free radical damage.
Weight management
Rhubarb is very low in kilojoules, with around 90 kJ (21 calories) per cup of raw stalks and over 2 grams of fibre. It is the added sugar in pies and crumbles that adds up, so try sweetening with fruit like strawberries or apple.
Cooking with rhubarb
Look for fresh, crisp, bright red stalks (some varieties remain green) , bruise and blemish free. Always remove and discard the leaves: they are high in oxalic acid and are poisonous
Why not try Rhubarb in a Salad for something Different, mix with edamame, seaweed some toasted almonds and cranberries for a smashing flavor hit and exciting new food sensation
Rhubarb is tart and sweet in flavor and lends itself well to homemade jams and jellies, chutneys and compotes, and is especially wonderful when mixed with strawberries, raspberries or cherries
If you have never had the pleasure of a classic rhubarb pie, now is the time to make this sweet bliss happen. Get your hands into some homemade dough, try using coconut or maca flour for increased health benefits, coconut or palm sugar instead of white . Just toss 1500 ml of rhubarb (trimmed of ends and cut into 2 cm pieces) in 250 gm of sugar, 40 ml of cornflour and a pinch of sea salt, add some star anise for a flavour punch. Pour into the pie shell and sprinkle with a crumble topping or a lattice of pre-cut pie dough. Bake in a 180c oven for about an hour and a half, or until the crust is a pale golden brown. Let cool completely before serving.
Fun fact: Rhubarb is often called the “pie plant,” as it is most commonly used to make pie.
This article is general information about food and wellbeing, not medical advice. Please talk to your GP or a qualified health professional about any health condition, medication or major change to your diet.
