The Amazing Health Benefits of Rhubarb
Rhubarb appears to look like red celery but has large leaves and is actually considered to be a member of the fruit family. The stem of the rhubarb plant is usually cooked and used in desserts, such as pie, but it can be eaten raw as well. The roots and the leaves of this plant are inedible since it contains a poisonous compound called oxalic acid. Rhubarb offers many health benefits, and finding a way to add it to your diet can help you take advantage of them.
Nutritional Value of Rhubarb
Given below is the amount of nutrients in 100 gm of Rhubarb:
| Sodium - 4 mg | Total Carbohydrates - 5gm |
| Dietary Fiber - 2 gm | Sugars - 1gm |
| Protein - 1gm | Vitamin A - 102 IU |
| Vitamin C - 8 mg | Vitamin E - 0.38 mg |
| Vitamin K - 41 mcg | Thiamin - 0.02 mg |
| Riboflavin - 0.03 mg | Niacin - 0.3 mg |
| Vitamin B6 - 0.024 mg | Folate - 7 mcg |
| Pantothenic Acid - 0.085 mcg | Calcium - 86 mg |
| Iron - 0.22 mg | Magnesium - 12 mg |
| Phosphorus - 14 mg | Potassium - 288 mg |
| Sodium - 4 mg | Zinc - 0.1 mg |
| Copper - 0.021 mg | Manganese - 0.196 mg |
| Selenium - 1.1 mcg | Total Fat - 0.2 mg |
Health Benefits of Eating Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a good source of calcium which helps in the health and strengthens of bones and teeth, prevents the softening of bones, and tooth loss.
Another thing that rhubarb is a rich source of is lutein which takes care of your skin and eyes. Skin and eyes are the only two organs on a human body that is exposure to the environment and they need extra nutrients to take care of them. Lutein helps to get rid of free radical, which are dangerous and can lead to cancer.
Rhubarb is good source of Vitamin K, which helps to form blood clots when you are injured. If a person is deficiency in this vitamin, the person’s blood will have a harder time clotting and there will be considerable more blood loss due to the deficiency.
The antioxidant that gives rhubarb the deep red color also promotes good health and helps prevent diseases. Rhubarb contains several strong antioxidants such as lycopene and anthocyanin. These strong antioxidant help promote the health of your heart, eyes, and the body’s immune system. They also help to prevent cancer. Cooked rhubarb supplies a good amount of lycopene, but raw rhubarb supplies none at all.
One cup of chopped rhubarb provides 2.2 grams of fiber which is 9% of the 25 grams of the daily requirement value. Fiber is an indigestible compound that prevents and relieves the side effects of constipation by promoting the movement of the intestines to propel waste elimination. It provides the bulk in stools that absorbs the by-products of normal movements and removes them from the body.
In a single serving of rhubarb, there is 10 mg or 17 percent of the 60 mg of daily required amount for Vitamin C. Vitamin C is responsible for building collagen, a structural compound of body tissue needed for the repair and synthesis of new and blood vessel tissues.
Rhubarb is a good source of potassium and one of the major responsibilities of potassium is working together with sodium to regulate the amount of fluids in the body. The body fluid level impacts blood pressure. A person should eat a diet rich in potassium is important to prevent the blood pressure of the body going to unhealthy level.
Sources:
livestrong.com
lifestyle.iloveindia.com
whyfoods.com
Other links:
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