Stalks are food, leaves are poison — and the distinction is not optional.
Rhubarb stalks are tart, high in fibre and very low in sugar, which is why they are almost
always cooked with something sweet.
The leaves are genuinely toxic. They contain
oxalic acid at levels high enough to cause serious poisoning, and there are documented deaths.
The stalks are safe; the leaves must never be eaten and should not be composted where animals
graze.
Botanically it is a vegetable, used as a fruit.
Per 100g of stalks, raw and unsweetened.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Cut off and discard every trace of leaf. This is not a
precaution.
Do not peel it unless the stalks are old and
stringy.
It needs very little liquid to cook — rhubarb releases a
lot of its own.
Roast rather than stew if you want the pieces to hold
their shape.
Rhubarb is one of the highest-oxalate foods there is. Oxalates bind calcium in the gut,
which is why rhubarb's calcium content is nutritionally almost useless, and why it matters for
people who form kidney stones.
The leaves concentrate oxalic acid far more than the
stalks — enough that eating them can cause kidney damage. The stalks contain a fraction
of that and are safe in normal amounts.
Rhubarb leaves are poisonous. They contain oxalic acid at toxic levels.
Never eat them.
Kidney stones: high in oxalates. Worth discussing with your doctor if
you form stones.
Kidney disease: potassium may need limiting. Ask your doctor for your
numbers.
IBS: several vegetables are high-FODMAP and commonly trigger
symptoms — tolerance is personal.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.