How Rhubarb is Good For Your Health
Nutrient Content
Vitamins
Excellent Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Vitamin K – 45%
Good Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Vitamin C – 16%
A Source of:
- Thiamin – 2%
- Riboflavin – 2%
- Niacin – 2%
- Folate – 2%
- Vitamin E – 2%
- Vitamin A – 2%
Minerals
Good Source of (Daily Recommended):
- Manganese – 12%
- Potassium – 10%
- Calcium – 10%
A Source of:
- Magnesium – 4%
- Phosphorus – 2%
- Selenium – 2%
Other
Also a Source of:
- Fiber – 9%
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids
- Antioxidants – Proanthocyanidins, Anthocyanins
*All nutritional information found at (1)
How Rhubarb Prevents Chronic Disease
Rhubarb, like many vegetables, prevents several chronic diseases that plague America today. Most notably, rhubarb helps to prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
How Rhubarb Prevents Cancer
Rhubarb is a great resource to incorporate into your diet to prevent various cancers.
Rhubarb is a rich source of antioxidants. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals that cause cancer and damage to essential tissues.
Rhubarb is rich in anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are the antioxidants that give rhubarb its red color. They are potent antioxidants capable of preventing a number of cancers, such as breast, lung, and colon cancers. (2)
A study even showed that rhubarb has more polyphenolic content than kale, which is thought of as one of the richest polyphenol sources. (3)
In addition to being rich in anthocyanins, rhubarb is rich in another class of antioxidants called proanthocyanidins.
Proanthocyanidins have anti-carcinogenic effects, and they target different stages of cancer genesis. Further studies must be done on proanthocyanidins to confirm their bioavailability and the exact mechanisms by which they target cancer. (4)
Similar to other vegetables, rhubarb provides vitamin C. Vitamin C has been shown to reduce your risk of a number of cancers, such as lung, breast, blood, and colorectal cancer. (5, 6, 7, 8)
Having fewer sugars than fruits and immense antioxidant effects, rhubarb is an excellent vegetable to incorporate into your diet.
How Rhubarb Prevents Diabetes
Rhubarb is rich in fiber. Fiber helps prevent diabetes by making you fuller and preventing you from overeating. (9)
Blood sugar levels remain low when you avoid overeating and when you consume fiber rich foods.
How Rhubarb Prevents Cardiovascular Diseases
Since rhubarb is a good source of fiber, it also helps you minimize your risk of cardiovascular disease. (10)
One study found that the fiber found in rhubarb can help reduce bad LDL cholesterol levels by up to 9%. (11)
Reductions in LDL cholesterol are incredibly significant because LDL cholesterol can clump together and stop blood flow to certain areas of your body. Once a blood vessel is fully blocked, risk of heart attack or stroke rises drastically.
Rhubarb also has some potassium, which has been shown to reduce blood pressure. (12)
Vitamin K1, also found in rhubarb, is essential for preventing blood clots. Rhubarb is a great source of this vitamin, which gives it an advantage over other vegetables and fruit when considering its impact on cardiovascular disease risk. (13)
Rhubarb Promotes a Number of Health Benefits
Rhubarb not only helps to prevent diseases, but support and promote the function of several important systems in our bodies.
How Rhubarb Promotes Bone Health
Rhubarb promotes bone health by supplying calcium. Calcium is essential for building up bone strength and density, in turn helping prevent diseases such as osteoporosis. (14)
How Rhubarb Promotes Immune Health
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Vitamin C provides a boost to your immune system by aiding production of white blood cells. White blood cells are essential, as they help fight off infections and foreign agents. (15)
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