The rhubarb is a common vegetable widely known for its sour taste. While it is popularly used as either a vegetable or a dessert’s key ingredient (think rhubarb pie), the humble rhubarb is actually rich in minerals, vitamins, and organic compounds that have therapeutic use.
Let’s get to know more about this superfood.
What is Rhubarb?
The rhubarb is a plant cultivated all over the world. While it’s typically used as a vegetable in Europe and North America, it’s been used for centuries as a popular laxative (thanks to its high fiber content) in China and the Middle East.
The rhubarb thrives in colder temperatures, thus it is commonly grown in the mountainous regions of Northeast Asia – specifically in China, where it originated. Originally, its roots were harvested for medicinal use. It eventually spread throughout Europe through the Silk Road and finally reached the Americas through European colonization.
It is even said that Thomas Jefferson – the third president of the United States – was a fan of the organic rhubarb, adding it to his extensive garden of herbs and vegetables.[1]
Its distinct flavor has made rhubarb a standout produce during colder seasons. However, what a lot of people don’t know is that the rhubarb is a potent source of vitamins and minerals.
Here are just some of the benefits of rhubarb you might not have heard about.
7 Benefits of Organic Rhubarb
- It can help fight off cancer
Physcion (also known as parietin), the compound which gives rhubarb stems its distinct red color, has been tested as an anti-cancer remedy. In one animal study, physcion was found to have killed 50% of leukemia cells within two days. A modified form of physcion was also found to be successful in reducing tumor growth among mice that have been injected with human cancer cells. [2]
While these results are indeed promising, scientists advise against relying on rhubarb as a primary treatment for cancer, as more human studies are yet to be conducted. But as rhubarb is perfectly safe for consumption, it wouldn’t hurt to add it to your diet as a preventive natural supplement!
- It can lower cholesterol levels
Rhubarb stalks are a rich source of fiber. For every 100 gram serving of organic rhubarb, you’ll get approximately 1.8g of fiber. In one clinical study, men who have high cholesterol were made to consume 27 grams of rhubarb stalks daily. After one month, it is reported that their total cholesterol level dropped by 8% and bad cholesterols (LDL) dropped 9%.[3] This makes rhubarb a great supplementary source of fiber. Ideally, rhubarb stalks should also be eaten with other fiber-rich foods for a balanced diet.
This also means that organic rhubarb is great for heart health: the lower cholesterol levels attained from consuming rhubarb will help unclog arteries and lower blood pressure levels.
- It protects your brain from damage
Rhubarb is one of the many antioxidant dense superfoods. This makes rhubarb capable of fighting off free radicals, the unstable atoms that cause damage and degeneration in our cells, including the ones belonging to our nervous systems.
Rhubarb is also rich in vitamin K, which limits damage to our brain cells. In one study, rhubarb extract was tested on neuronal cultures from rat embryos, which was found to decrease radiation-induced actate dehydrogenase release and DNA fragmentation. These two processes accelerate apoptosis (programmed cell death, which happens at the end of the cellular life cycle).[4]
This protective property of the rhubarb makes it a potential fighter against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Parkinson’s. The fact that it can fight against oxidative stress means that consuming rhubarb can help preserve our ability to memorize and retain information.
- It aids in weight loss
As mentioned earlier, rhubarb is a great source of fiber which effectively lowers cholesterol levels. From this alone, rhubarb can help accelerate the weight loss process.
Aside from that, rhubarb is rich in catechins, a known metabolic booster that can also be found in green tea. Its laxative property is also another trait which makes it a perfect weight loss companion.
So if you think you’re losing weight too slowly, perhaps adding rhubarb to your diet can help!
- It fights off premature skin aging
One of the many antioxidants you can get from rhubarb is Vitamin A – a natural compound that is known to slow down the aging process by neutralizing free radicals. By preventing damage from free radicals, rhubarb will help you maintain youthful and glowing skin.
Rhubarb also has antifungal and antibacterial properties, protecting the skin from infection. In fact, rhubarb has long been used in folk medicine as a topical cure for skin infections.
- It can be used as a natural hair dye
Rhubarb also contains oxalic acid, a compound that is capable of giving a light brown or blonde hue to hair. For people whose hair is already colored, oxalic acid can make your hair color last longer, much like purple shampoos. This makes rhubarb a perfect solution for people who want color but is sensitive to chemicals typically included in hair dyes/bleach.
To use rhubarb as hair dye, simply add three tablespoons of rhubarb root in 2 cups of boiling water. Let this mixture rest overnight. Afterwards, strain this mixture, and rinse your hair with it to achieve an all-natural hair color.
- It relieves constipation and other stomach problems
This is what rhubarb is best known for and one of the reasons why it was first cultivated in ancient China.
It’s widely used as treatment for constipation, since its high-fiber content can help ease digestion. In one study conducted in China, burn patients were treated with rhubarb to assess its efficacy in easing abdominal discomfort and promoting a healthy digestion process. It was found that rhubarb also had the ability to protect the intestinal wall with an increased secretion of gastrointestinal hormones. [5]
So not only does rhubarb induce normal digestion, but it also protects the intestinal wall from external damage. If you have a sensitive stomach, you can perhaps look into rhubarb as a beneficial addition to your diet.
Best ways to incorporate Organic Rhubarb in your diet
As rhubarb has been known and used for centuries now, there are plentiful ways to make use of this superfood. Just an extra word of caution: only the STALKS AND FLOWERS of the rhubarb can be eaten, and its leaves are considered poisonous.
If you don’t have an idea of how it tastes: rhubarb has an extremely sour taste, which is why it is typically prepared with lots of sugar.
Here are some examples of how you can easily incorporate Rhubarb in your diet:
It can be eaten raw
This is one of the healthiest ways to consume rhubarb, as no nutritional value will be lost from extra food processing. To make its sour taste bearable, you can dip rhubarb in sugar and other sweet ingredients, such as honey, syrups, or nectar.
As an ingredient
The most common way to consume organic rhubarb is as an ingredient in various types of food and dessert.
As an example, some chefs love using rhubarb as a sauce to various meats – salmon, trout, roast chicken, turkey, duck, and pork chops. It is said that the sourness of rhubarb complements the savory flavor of meats very well.
Rhubarb can also be added to salads for an interesting variety of flavor. It is also recommended to roast rhubarb stalks with sweeteners (honey, sugar, or syrup) first to tone down its sourness.
Lastly, for those with a sweet tooth, rhubarb can be enjoyed as a pie, tart, or as a smoothie. Its berry-like zing allows it to be prepared like strawberries and blueberries (although it can be a bit more bitter and sour than usual).
There are a lot of recipes including rhubarbs available on the internet. But to get you started, here’s a strawberry rhubarb smoothie recipe (from GreenBlender.com)[6] that’s made from accessible ingredients:
Ingredients
- 1 banana – peeled
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1/4 cup rhubarb – chopped
- 1 tsp lucuma powder
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup ice
Simply toss these ingredients in a blender and you’re set to drink this delicious and healthy smoothie!
Rhubarb capsules
If you’re unable to make most of these rhubarb recipes or if they’re not always available, rhubarb extract can also be consumed through capsules. Consult your doctor first if you’re thinking of taking them as daily supplements – some compounds present in rhubarb may interfere with other prescriptions, or you may have an allergy to rhubarb.
Precautions
While the rhubarb is generally a harmless plant (except for its leaves… that we would like to stress, is highly poisonous!), it’s safe for adult human consumption daily. However, like most foods, excess consumption may lead to undesirable side effects. Rhubarb may trigger diarrhea or constipation when consumed excessively.
Children and pregnant women should also avoid consuming rhubarb, as the trace amounts of oxalic acid is harmful for children below 4 years of age.
Oxalic acid may also aggravate kidney stones and various liver conditions.
Summary
Rhubarb is a superfood deserving of the title. It’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that can help the body fight off diseases like cancer or Alzheimer’s. It’s also proven (for centuries) to help with minor conditions like constipation, diarrhea, and can be used as a topical treatment for skin conditions.
But like everything good in this world, too much of something – even rhubarb – can be a bad thing. Children, pregnant women, and people with preexisting liver and kidney conditions should avoid consuming too much rhubarb as it can be harmful to them.
References
[1] Betts, E. M. (1953). Thomas Jefferson’s farm book with commentary and relevant extracts from other writings. Amer. Philosophical Soc., Univ. Va. Press, Charlottesville.
[2] “Claims rhubarb pigment ‘could help cancer crumble’.” (2015, October 20). Retrieved from: https://www.nhs.uk/news/cancer/claims-rhubarb-pigment-could-help-cancer-crumble/
[3] Goel, V., Ooraikul, B., & Basu, T. K. (1997). Cholesterol lowering effects of rhubarb stalk fiber in hypercholesterolemic men. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 16(6), 600–604.
[4] Lu, K., Zhang, C., Wu, W., Zhou, M., Tang, Y., & Peng, Y. (2015). Rhubarb extract has a protective role against radiation-induced brain injury and neuronal cell apoptosis. Molecular medicine reports, 12(2), 2689–2694. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.3693
[5] Meng, Y. B., Lei, J., Hao, Z. M., & Cao, R. L. (2011). Zhonghua shao shang za zhi = Zhonghua shaoshang zazhi = Chinese journal of burns, 27(5), 337–340.
[6] “Strawberry Rhubarb” (n.d.) Retrieved from: https://greenblender.com/smoothies/recipes/strawberry-rhubarb
