Talk:Rhubarb

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[edit] Toxic?

I have heard that rhubarb becomes toxic when mixed with pineapple. Is anyone able to comment with authority?

I cannot comment with authority, but this sure sounds crazy. There are many recipies for deserts in which rhubarb is mixed with pineapple. Look online a bit for some kind of documented source for your rumor. If you can't find anything, and if there is an absence of any other evidence, my advice would be to utterly ignore that rumor.

Rhubarb is toxic by default. I have read about people dying after eating several kilograms of Rhubarb. Lapinmies 19:11, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

The stems? Njál 17:49, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

This is extremely unlikely. The leaves have the most toxin, and even so you'd need to eat about 10 to 11 pounds in a sitting to get a toxic dose. The stems have much less toxin so you'd need much more. Unless you are in a rhubarb eating contest I would not worry about it. I know I've eaten rhubarb pie many times in my life with no ill effects.

Note, the figures given are for a LD50 for someone 65kg. The LD50 is the median lethal dose. What this means (more or less) is that 50% of people will die on or before eating such a dose (without treatment anyway). It is misleading therefore to suggest you need to eat 10 to 11 pounds to get a 'toxic dose'. 8 pounds or less could very well be enough to be lethal. You're also likely to get very sick long before you eat a lethal dose. I'm not suggesting people should be worried and I'm not particularly sure anyone would even eat 500g of the leaves but I do think it's important that the LD50 isn't a 'toxic dose' Nil Einne 14:40, 20 March 2007 (UTC)

"In former days, a common and affordable sweet for children in Yorkshire was a tender stick of rhubarb, dipped in copious amounts of sugar." In former days? I still eat it like that (and I'm not from Yorkshire). Njál 17:49, 9 May 2006 (UTC)

I must admit I still eat it like this whenever it's available, even when it's become quite sour (but I like it like that), although my family were originally from Yorkshire. I noticed a few grammar things, I'll try to correct. Terri G 12:44, 14 September 2006 (UTC)

I removed the phrase "so the phloem will explode" from the toxic effects section, because it sounded like one would want the phloem to explode, which I can't imagine one would, especially if you were planning to eat it.

The toxic section needs a lot more, useful information. Some of us like to eat raw rhubarb! (I've never noticed any ill effects, though bystanders often shudder. I can't believe that some people have not been eating it, since forever.) We need to know if this is harmful in any way, short of being lethal. And presuming that cooking makes the rhubarb "safe", exactly how much does it have to be cooked, and how much oxalic acid remains? 69.87.201.38 16:07, 19 November 2006 (UTC)

Let me get this straight - you're on a website talking about rhubarb? Cool. --Silva Storm

In Iowa it is common to play croquet near the rhubarb patch, Not only is a citation needed, I can't imagine how it would be "common" to have both rhubarb AND croquet in Iowa, colocated.:)Mzmadmike 06:38, 24 February 2007 (UTC)