6 Benefits Of Eating Rhubarb On Your Health

Rhubarb is a unique looking plant that belongs to the Polygonaceae family of plants. Botanically speaking, it is an herbaceous perennial with leaves growing off the top of the thick rhizome. It is mainly considered a vegetable, but it is primarily used as a fruit in culinary practices. The leaf stalks of the rhubarb are used as a dessert or as an ingredient in sweet dishes. Rhubarb taste is similar to that of green apple and sometimes people add sugar to make it sweeter.

Rhubarb is a good source of many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, dietary fibers, phytonutrients, and polyphenols, etc. and presence of these compounds make them very beneficial for us, and in this article, we will know about the major health and beauty benefits of rhubarb , but first, let’s take a look at the below-mentioned nutrition chart of rhubarb.

# Good For Digestive Health

Consuming rhubarb on a regular and moderate basis has been found to be very beneficial for our stomach and aids in keeping our digestive system healthy.This benefit of rhubarb is mainly due to the presence of dietary fibers in them.

The dietary fibers present in the rhubarb acts as a natural laxative which means it improves our bowel movement and ensures smooth elimination of stool from our system, and thus helps in providing relief from constipation.This also helps in reducing the risk of other gastrointestinal problems like abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, gas, bloating, flatulence, etc.

# Make Our Bones Stronger

Regular and moderate consumption of rhubarb has been found to be very beneficial for making our bones stronger and for reducing the risk of osteoporosis.Osteoporosis is a condition in which our bones become very weak and fragile, and are very prone to damage.This bone strengthening benefit of rhubarb is mainly due to the presence of mineral like vitamin K in it.

Vitamin K is an essential mineral that is required not only for the formation of bones but also for making our bones stronger as they reduce the risk of fractures and other injuries to bones.In addition to vitamin K, rhubarb is also a good source of calcium which is a crucial mineral for making our bones strong and healthy.

# Improves Cognitive Function

Eating rhubarb on a regular and moderate basis has been found to be very beneficial for our brain and aids in keeping our neurological system healthy.This benefit of rhubarb is mainly due to the presence of antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and other antioxidantal compounds like phytonutrients and polyphenols, etc. in them.

These antioxidants and the relevant compounds fight with the free radicals of our body, stabilize them and prevents them from causing oxidative damage to our cells including the brain cells aka neurons and thus reduces the risk of various neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, amnesia, etc.

# Helps In Weight Loss

Consuming rhubarb on a regular and moderate basis has been found to be very beneficial for the individuals who are on a weight loss regime and would like to get rid of some extra pounds from their body.This weight loss benefit of rhubarb is mainly because of their low caloric value.

It has been found that eating 100 grams of rhubarb provides around 21 calories which is very low and doesn’t contribute much to the weight gain.It is also interesting to note that rhubarb is a good source of catechins that improves our metabolism and thus helps in burning body fat and aids in weight loss.

# Combats Against Various Cancer(s)

Eating rhubarb on a regular and moderate basis has been found to be very beneficial for reducing the risk of several types of cancers such as colon cancer, abdominal cancer, intestinal cancer, breast cancer, pancreas cancer, etc.This anti-carcinogenic effect of rhubarb is mainly due to the presence of antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin E and other antioxidantal compounds like phytonutrients and polyphenols, etc. in them.

The antioxidants and the relevant compounds present in rhubarb fights with the free radicals of our body, stabilize them and prevents them from causing oxidative damage to our cells and thus reduces the risk of several types of cancers.

# Good For Diabetic Patients

Consuming rhubarb on a regular and moderate basis has been found to be very beneficial for diabetic patients and for those who are at the risk of developing diabetes.This benefit of rhubarb is mainly because of its low glycemic index.

Glycemic index of a food item determines the rate at which that particular food item releases sugar into the bloodstream.It ranges from 0 to 100. Lower the glycemic index of a food item and slower will be the rate at which it will release sugar into the bloodstream.