The outlandishly coloured vegetable that thinks it's a fruit. The beautiful pink-stemmed forced rhubarb has some great uses and some real health benefits. However, try to use the minimum amount of sugar when cooking it.
TRY ME I’M GOOD IN… Rhubarb and fresh vanilla custard, pink rhubarb and ginger muffins, rhubarb pickle and even rhubarb hummus!
FACTS
· It is grown (forced) in the dark and it requires sub-zero temperatures to trigger vernalisation of the roots (the signal to start growing once again).
· It was used as a medicine in ancient China and eaten as a food since the 18th C.
· The effect of forcing was discovered by accident at the Chelsea Physic Garden in the 19th C.
· Genus: Rheum species Rheum rhabarbarum Family: Polygonaceae
WHY IS IT SO GOOD?
Nutritional highlights – Forced Rhubarb can provide:
Vitamin C (100g = 13% RNI) is a powerful antioxidant, used in the stress response, aids in immunity and in healing wounds, and helps in the bioavailability of veggie iron.
Vitamin K (100g = 24% RNI) helps to produce prothrombin (blood clotting factor) and has a potential role in bone and brain health, by helping to regulate calcium.
Potassium (100g = 8% RNI) helps maintain normal levels of fluid inside our cells, and also helps muscles to contract and supports normal blood pressure.
Manganese (100g = 10% RNI) is part of the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is arguably one of the most important endogenous antioxidants in our body.
Dietary Fibre (100g = 7% RNI) helps maintain the health of our gastrointestinal system and our microbiome to flourish. It also helps the body remove toxic compounds and unwanted fats, such as cholesterol.
MAIN HEALTH BENEFITS
May support bone health – The vitamin K content of rhubarb may help you maintain strong, healthy bones.
May protect heart health – Rhubarb is an excellent source of fibre, which helps to lower cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease.
May provide high levels of antioxidants – rhubarb has arguably more than kale, that help reduce oxidative stress in our cells, and lower the risk of many chronic diseases.
May reduce inflammation – The antioxidant compounds in rhubarb help to fight chronic and systemic inflammation that increases the risk of illness and disease.
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