Rhubarb: traditional uses, how to prepare it, and what to leave alone

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Rhubarb is the tart red-and-green stalk that turns into pies, compotes and jams. Beyond the kitchen, its dried root has a long history in European and Chinese herbal practice. This page sets out which part is used, how it is prepared at home, what it tastes like, and the one part of the plant that must never reach a plate.

What it is credited with

• Traditional European herbalism used the dried root as a bitter, taken in very small amounts before meals to sharpen the appetite.
• Old herbals credit the root with a purgative reputation at larger amounts, which is exactly why it was reserved for occasional use only.
• Herbalists have long described rhubarb root as acting on bile flow, which is why it turns up in old digestive syrups alongside chicory and fumewort.
• Because of its tannins, tradition attributes an astringent character to very small amounts of the root — the historical use for loose bowels, the opposite of the large-dose use.
• Naturopathy values the cooked stalks simply as a fibre-rich, low-calorie fruit substitute in spring desserts.
• Folk practice used a decoction of the flowers or powdered root as a hair rinse, said to lift and warm fair hair towards blond.
• Country tradition also used root preparations externally, as a compress or a mouth rinse.

How to use it

The stalks, in the kitchen (the everyday way)

• Cut the stalks at the base with a twisting pull, never with a knife into the crown.
• Trim off and discard every scrap of leaf. Wipe the stalks, do not peel unless they are very stringy.
• Chop into short lengths, sprinkle with sugar, leave half an hour, then cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes until melting.
• Use in pies, crumbles, compotes, sauces and jams; rhubarb sets well because it is naturally acidic.
• Savoury idea: rhubarb caramelised with honey, served alongside pork tenderloin.
• Because of its tartness and stringiness, rhubarb is almost always eaten cooked.

An infusion of the dried root

• Pour freshly boiled water over a small pinch of dried powdered root, in a covered cup.
• Leave 10 minutes, then strain. It is bitter; a slice of orange peel or a little cinnamon makes it drinkable.
• Traditionally taken in the morning, on a short-term basis only, and never as a daily habit.
• A cold macerate was made the same way, left several hours at room temperature and strained.

A tincture

• Crush and chop the dried root, cover generously with a strong drinking alcohol in a sealed jar.
• Macerate about ten days, shaking now and then, then filter into a dark bottle.
• Traditionally used by the drop, diluted in water, as a bitter before food.

A wine macerate

• Steep a handful of dried root pieces in a bottle of red wine for around ten days, then strain.
• Old recipes call for a spoonful at a time. Alcohol-based preparations are unsuitable for children and for anyone avoiding alcohol.

External rinse

• Simmer powdered root or dried flowers in water for a few minutes, cool and strain.
• Used as a final hair rinse on fair hair, or as a mouth rinse, then spat out — never swallowed.
• Do a patch test first: rhubarb root stains fabric, skin and light hair strongly.

Two uses for the leaves that are not eating them

• Beekeepers lay a leaf on top of the frames inside the hive: as the bees chew it away, they take in traces of oxalic acid, which helps them cope with Varroa mite.
• The leaves also make a good fermented rhubarb tea for the garden.
• Both are outdoor, non-food uses. The leaves still go nowhere near the kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions

The one thing to remember: eat the cooked stalks freely, treat the dried root as a short-term bitter, and never let a leaf reach the plate.

Can I eat rhubarb leaves if I cook them well?

No. Cooking does not make them safe. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid and can cause severe poisoning, so they are always trimmed off and discarded. Only the stalks are edible.

Why is rhubarb almost always eaten cooked?

Raw stalks are very sour and stringy. A short gentle cooking, usually with sugar, softens the fibres and turns the flesh melting and tangy. That is the form used in pies, crumbles, compotes and jams.

Is it the stalk or the root that herbalists use?

The root. The stalks belong to the kitchen, while dried rhubarb root is the part traditional herbalism worked with, as a bitter before meals and, in larger amounts, for its purgative reputation. It is bitter, earthy and intended for short-term use only.

When should I pick rhubarb?

Pull the outer stalks from mid-spring to midsummer, twisting them away at the base rather than cutting into the crown. Forced stalks can be had as early as late winter. Roots were traditionally lifted in mid-autumn.

Does rhubarb really lighten hair?

A decoction of the flowers or powdered root was used as a rinse in the old days, with a reputation for warming fair hair towards blond. It stains strongly, so test on a hidden strand first, and keep the rinse out of the mouth.

Blandine Merlin

This information is provided for general interest and reflects the traditional use of plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you are on medication, pregnant, or in any doubt, ask a healthcare professional.