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r Rhubarb
Nutritional Profile
Energy value (calories per serving): Low
Protein: Low
Fat: Low
Saturated fat: Low
Cholesterol: None
Carbohydrates: High
Fiber: Low
Sodium: Low
Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin A, vitamin C
Major mineral contribution: PotassiumAbout the Nutrients in This Food
Despite its crunchy stringiness, rhubarb provides only small amounts of
fiber, including the insoluble cellulose and lignin in the stiff cells of its stalk
and “strings” and the soluble pectins in the flesh. Rhubarb has some sugar,
no starch, and only a trace of protein and fat.
Rhubarb is a relatively good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C.
One-half cup cooked rhubarb has 2.4 g dietary fiber including insoluble cel-
lulose and lignin in the “strings” and soluble pectins in the flesh. One-half
cup cooked rhubarb has 2.4 g dietary fiber and 4 mg vitamin C (5 percent
of the RDA for a woman, 4 percent of the RDA for a man).
Rhubarb also has some calcium (174 mg per serving), but oxalic acid
(one of the naturally occurring chemicals that give rhubarb its astringent
flavor) binds the calcium into calcium oxalate, an insoluble compound the
body cannot absorb. The other astringent chemicals in rhubarb are tannins
(also found in tea, red wines, and some unripe fruits) and phenols. Tannins
and phenols coagulate proteins on the surface of the mucous membrane
lining of the mouth, making the mouth “pucker” when eating rhubarb.The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food
Cooked. Only the stalks of the rhubarb are used as food; the leaves are
poisonous, whether r aw or cooked.