RHUBARB: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews (2024)

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RHUBARB: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews? ›

Special Precautions and Warnings

It is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts for up to 3 months. Rhubarb can cause some side effects such as stomach and intestinal pain, watery diarrhea, and uterine contractions. Long-term use can result in muscular weakness, bone loss, potassium loss, and irregular heart rhythm.

Rhubarb is a good source of antioxidants, vitamin K, and fiber. It's also rich in calcium oxalate, so if you're prone to kidney stones, it might be best to avoid. More importantly, the leaves are toxic and should never be eaten. Rhubarb is a vegetable known for its reddish stalks and sour taste.

Rhubarb is also a great source of vitamin K₁, which is important for blood clotting and bone health. A half cup of cooked rhubarb provides more than one-third of the recommended dietary intake of vitamin K₁, along with two grams of fiber (which helps prevent colorectal cancer), some calcium and vitamin C.

Previous studies have demonstrated that Rhubarb possesses a good nephroprotective effect, which primarily protects the kidneys from fibrosis, oxidation, inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis. However, studies have shown that the long-term inappropriate use of Rhubarb may cause damage to renal function.

After freezing temperatures, some gardeners express concerns about the edibility of rhubarb. Rhubarb is a tough plant. Temperatures in the upper twenties or low thirties usually cause little or no damage. A hard freeze (temperatures in the mid-twenties or lower) is usually required to cause serious damage.

Water pills (Diuretic drugs) interacts with RHUBARB

Rhubarb is a laxative. Some laxatives can cause diarrhea and decrease potassium levels. "Water pills" can also decrease potassium levels. Taking rhubarb along with "water pills" might make potassium levels drop too low.

Thus, the formulation may be a potential preventive or therapeutic candidate for the treatment of chronic inflammation and arthritis. From these data it can be concluded that in contrast to Rheum species used in medicine, no risk is associated with the use of rhubarb as a food.

Also, a decrease in systolic blood pressure reduces the risk of each complication of diabetes and the risk of death from diabetes. Rhubarb is prescribed in traditional medicine for various patients, including patients with diabetes, high blood lipids and high blood pressure.

How much rhubarb should you eat a day? ›

Enjoy Rhubarb in Moderation

Rhubarb stalks range in color from pale green to a deep purplish-red. An average serving of rhubarb, about 2/3 cup, contributes to healthy bowel movements due to its high fiber content, but it can also have a purgative or laxative effect in larger quantities.

3. Rhubarb. While it may be best known as an ingredient for pie, this vegetable is also used to treat constipation. Rhubarb has a laxative effect, but a study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that it also has antidiarrheal effects because of its tannin content.

Rhubarb stalks are a popular snack in some areas, and they have very little natural sugar (only about 1 gram in each cup), so they're a good choice if you want to manage the amount of sugar in your food.

High in oxalic acid

Rhubarb contains approximately 570–1,900 mg of oxalate per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). The leaves contain the most oxalate, comprising 0.5–1.0% of the leaf ( 3 ). Too much oxalate in the body can lead to a condition known as hyperoxaluria, which is when excess oxalate is excreted in the urine.

Health benefits of rhubarb may include:

Aiding digestion. Lowering blood pressure. Reducing the risk of cancer. Reducing inflammation.

Rhubarb can't hurt, but won't help much

Adding rhubarb to your diet probably won't help fight hair loss, but it cannot hurt either. Because the vegetable helps boost uptake of vitamin D, you may seem some additional health benefits, but unfortunately this particular super food is not a super hair loss cure.

Rhubarb contains antioxidants with anti-inflammatory effects and is also rich in potassium, a mineral that helps relax blood vessels. Therefore, rhubarb helps to promote arterial blood circulation, which can help to control blood pressure.

Symptoms. Oxalates are in all parts of the plant but are especially concentrated in the leaves. If the leaves or uncooked stems are eaten, symptoms can include a burning sensation in the mouth, nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness and drowsiness. Blood clotting may be impaired.

Improves Liver Health

The compounds in rhubarb stalks improve our gut health and can even protect the liver from harm. A study in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research found that taking rhubarb extract is linked with improved liver health among study participants who reported binge drinking alcohol.