Rhubarb is a perennial plant that delivers a tart taste to pies and other food dishes. Though it is grown in many home gardens, you must be careful with what part of the plant you prepare for cooking. The leaves of the rhubarb plant contain poisonous oxalic acid, while the roots also contain poisonous substances. The only edible part of the rhubarb plant is the stalk. Rhubarb contains several vitamins and minerals, with the primary nutritional component being vitamin K.
Vitamin K
The amount of vitamin K in your rhubarb depends upon how you eat it. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, raw rhubarb contains 35.7 mcg of vitamin K in a 1 cup serving, while cooked rhubarb that had been previously frozen contains 50.6 mcg, or 63 percent of the recommended daily intake. Since rhubarb is rarely eaten raw, you can usually count on its cooked nutritional content. Vitamin K's primary role in the body is the clotting of the blood. Without enough of it, a simple cut or wound may cause you to bleed to death. However, if your blood clots too easily and you are on blood thinning medication, you may want to limit your intake of rhubarb and other foods rich in vitamin K, as they may interfere with your medication's ability to work properly. Speak to your doctor before adding rhubarb to your diet.
Other Vitamins
Rhubarb contains a fair amount of other vitamins as well, including A, E and the B family. A 1 cup serving of cooked rhubarb also contains 7.9 mg of vitamin C, which is 13 percent of the RDI. Vitamin C is well known for its role in building strong bones, maintaining healthy skin, mucous membranes and in boosting the immune system. The April 21, 2011 issue of "Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry" reports that eating foods that contain vitamin C, and other antioxidant vitamins such as A and E, strengthens your body's ability to fight infections caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites. Consuming rhubarb can help you toward reaching your 100 percent daily intake of the antioxidant vitamins.
Fiber Content
Rhubarb is very high in fiber, with a serving of 1 cup cooked containing 4.8 g, or 19 percent of the RDI. The Harvard School of Public Health explains that intake of dietary fiber benefits your health by lowering cholesterol, preventing heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes and constipation. Dietary fiber even contributes to reducing the risk of obesity by making you feel fuller and preventing you from overeating.
Minerals
Your body needs minerals in small amounts, but if you are depleted in any one mineral, the results could be deadly. Rhubarb contains several minerals necessary for health, including manganese, potassium, magnesium, selenium, copper, iron, phosphorous, zinc and a trace of sodium. The primary mineral in rhubarb is calcium, with a 1 cup serving containing 348 mg, or 35 percent of the RDI, which is more than a 1 cup serving of 2 percent milk. Calcium is well-known for its role in building strong bones and teeth, but the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements reports that calcium also aides in the prevention of heart disease, colorectal and prostate cancer, a reduced risk of hypertension, kidney stones and even obesity.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Keyword--Rhubarb
- "Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry"; Dietary Antioxidants: Immunity and Host Defense; MA Puertollano, et al.; April 21, 2011
- Harvard School of Public Health: FIber: Start Roughing It
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
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