Most people know a plant with red thick stems, often found in cottages and home gardens. But few people know that the nutritional benefits of rhubarb are truly unique. This is a real pantry of all kinds of nutrients and vitamins.
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Rhubarb grows in a hot climate throughout the year, and in the cool Russian middle zone, its growth begins in the spring. Rhubarb is one of the earliest plants, so it comes in handy during the spring vitamin deficiency. The plant is also grown in heated greenhouses, and individual amateur agronomists grow it directly at home in huge pots. Rhubarb is a perennial plant. It can grow in one place for 10-15 years.
For cooking use exclusively young stems (petioles) of the plant. It is better to remove them in June-July, since later oxalic acid accumulates in them, an excess of which will significantly reduce the useful properties of rhubarb.
The taste of rhubarb is astringent and slightly sweet with sourness, very similar to the taste of green apples. Petioles of juicy red color are much sweeter and tastier than green, pale pink or red.
Rhubarb contains a huge amount of vitamins (including A, C, K, B vitamins), trace elements (potassium, calcium, manganese, etc.), as well as powerful antioxidants (for example, lycopene and zeaxanthin). In addition, rhubarb has a low calorie content, contains very few fats (mainly unsaturated), which allows it to be used as a dietary food product.
The beneficial properties of rhubarb are numerous, the list below is unlikely to contain all of them, but will let you know the most basic ones.
First, rhubarb is good for bones and teeth. Due to the high content of calcium, the plant helps to overcome its deficiency, which means to keep bones and teeth healthy and strong. Regular consumption of rhubarb in food will help keep teeth from losing, and bones from softening.
Secondly, rhubarb is good for vision. It is rhubarb that has a high content of vitamin A. Also, rhubarb contains beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, which help maintain visual acuity and help reduce the risk of age-related diseases. Therefore, inveterate computer scientists can be recommended to drink jelly or smoothies from rhubarb.
Third, rhubarb benefits the immune system. It contains a huge amount of vitamin C, which plays an important role in maintaining the human immune system. Vitamin C is also important in collagen production. Therefore, rhubarb, among other things, helps to prevent premature aging.
Rhubarb is good for the heart because it has an extremely low fat content and low calorie content. A cup of sliced rhubarb contains only 1 gram of fat and 26 calories. Antioxidants in rhubarb (such as lycopene and anthocyanins) significantly reduce the risk of heart disease. At the same time, it is not necessary to rely only on proper nutrition in improving the health and general tone of the body - these are some of the important elements. We should not forget about sports, full sleep and in every possible way to avoid stressful situations.
Thanks to its beneficial properties, rhubarb helps lower blood pressure. This is facilitated by the potassium contained in it, so it is recommended that people suffering from hypertension include rhubarb in their menu.
Rhubarb has a beneficial effect on the intestines. It has a strong laxative effect, so its use helps to cope with constipation. In addition, rhubarb improves appetite, helps to maintain the health of the digestive system, and in some cases can even reduce abdominal pain. It is believed that stewed rhubarb can help get rid of worms in young children. The use of rhubarb also helps to speed up the metabolism, which should be noted by those who want to lose weight.
Rhubarb is an inexpensive and versatile product. It can be used in the preparation of almost any dish - salads, muffins, pizza, cookies, sauces, compotes and many others.
Despite the listed beneficial properties of rhubarb, its use in large quantities is not recommended for pregnant women, as well as suffering from rheumatism, diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal bleeding, gout, hemorrhoids, urolithiasis, cholecystitis and peritonitis.