Thread by @AbhishekSingh2i

🥬 THE CHEMISTRY OF #RHUBARB

🍃 Rhubarb is a plant that enjoys cold climates and is found in mountainous and temperate areas of the world like Northeast Asia. The species Rheum x hybridum is commonly grown as an edible vegetable across Europe and North America.

It has long fibrous stalks that range from dark red to pale green. These are often chopped & cooked with sugar due to their very sour taste. Meanwhile, its large dark green leaves look a bit like spinach & are not usually eaten due to fears about them being poisonous or inedible.

⬆️ HIGH IN OXALIC ACID

🍃 Rhubarb leaves are considered inedible due to their high concentration of oxalic acid. In fact, both the stalks and leaves contain oxalic acid, but the leaves have a much higher content.

🍃 Oxalic acid (C₂H₂O₄) is a natural substance found in many plants, including leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and cocoa.

🍃 Rhubarb contains approximately 570–1,900 mg of oxalate C₂O₄⁻² per 3.5 ounces (100 grams). The leaves contain the most oxalate,

comprising 0.5–1.0% of the leaf. Too much oxalate in the body can lead to a condition known as hyperoxaluria, which is when excess oxalate is excreted in the urine. This can also lead to an accumulation of calcium oxalate crystals in the organs.

In the kidneys, this can lead to the formation of kidney stones and eventually kidney failure.

☠ RHUBARB LEAF POISONING

🍃There are very few reports of either fatal or nonfatal poisoning caused by eating rhubarb leaves.

🍃The reported average lethal dose for oxalate is estimated at 170 mg/pound (375 mg/kg) of body weight, which is ~26.3 gm for a 154pound (70 kg) person.

🍃This means a person would have to eat between 5.7–11.7 pounds (2.6–5.3 kg) of rhubarb leaves for a potentially lethal dose of oxalate, depending on the concentration of oxalate in the leaf.