Rudimentary Rhubarb

Rhubarb, known as the "pie plant," is a misunderstood vegetable. The perennial plant is as decorative as it is versatile. Preferring cooler climates, rhubarb is the first plant to provide an edible vegetable in the spring. It can also be found in the frozen foods section of most supermarkets. Once people discover the flavor and uses, they quickly forget about the idea that rhubarb is evil.

The background of rhubarb is interesting, as are its alternative uses. The University of Illinois Extension claims that rhubarb dates back to 2700 B. C. Rhubarb's medicinal qualities are used as a natural remedy for many conditions.

According to The Rhubarb Compendium, the vegetable played an important role in Chinese medicine, as well as during wartime. When China and Britain were fighting the Opium War, a letter was written by the Chinese Imperial to Queen Victoria warning her that if the British did not stop trading opium, they would no longer have access to rhubarb and its medicinal uses. The threat did not work.

Drugs.com notes that the fiber rich rhubarb helps to lower lipids and cholesterol. It also reports that several gastrointestinal problems, including upper GI bleeding, have seen benefits as a result of rhubarb. It was once used as a laxative, but professionals warn that modern physicians no longer consider rhubarb for this purpose. However, Chinese herbal medicine still uses rhubarb in its therapies. Many caution that the Chinese variety differs from others found throughout the world

The Rhubarb Compendium lists alternate uses for rhubarb from cleaning pots to artwork. Those seeking green alternatives will be happy to know that rhubarb is environmentally friendly and can actually help to destroy chlorofluorocarbons. Discover Magazine reported that "Robert Crabtree and Juan Burdeniuc, chemists at Yale, have discovered a simple, safe method for disposing of the ozone-eating chemicals."