{"id":919720,"date":"2019-03-11T09:16:39","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T14:16:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/origin-www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=919720"},"modified":"2022-05-10T10:53:12","modified_gmt":"2022-05-10T15:53:12","slug":"is-rhubarb-poisonous","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/is-rhubarb-poisonous\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Rhubarb Leaves Really Toxic?"},"content":{"rendered":"Like most people in the Midwest, I really<\/em> look forward to spring. After all, there\u2019s a lot to love: warm temperatures, blooming plants and\u2014my personal favorite\u2014spring produce.\r\n\r\nOne of the most iconic spring fruits (well, rhubarb is a vegetable<\/a>, but we use it like a fruit) is rhubarb. The pretty pink stalks are a delicious addition to pies, muffins, jams and other rhubarb recipes<\/a>.\r\n\r\nHowever, rhubarb has a little bit of a shady side. I was always warned to stay away from rhubarb leaves because they\u2019re poisonous. But is the rumor true? Here\u2019s what we found.\r\n\r\nDid you know you should never eat these foods raw?<\/a>\r\n

Is Rhubarb Poisonous?<\/h2>\r\nThe stalks of a rhubarb plant are safe to eat. You can even eat them raw<\/a>\u2014but be warned, they\u2019re very<\/em> tart!\r\n\r\nHowever, the large, smooth, heart-shaped leaves are toxic. \"Rhubarb leaves are considered poisonous to humans and animals due to high concentrations of oxalic acid,\" says\u00a0Dr. Barbara Ingham, a professor of food science at the University of Wisconsin. This oxalic acid can cause difficulty breathing, nausea and even kidney stones<\/a>.\r\n\r\nIt's safe to put rhubarb leaves in your home compost, though. \u00a0Oxalic acid isn't readily absorbed by the roots of plants, so compost containing decomposed rhubarb leaves can be safely worked into the soil of your garden, according to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach<\/a>.\r\n

The Verdict<\/h2>\r\nAs scary as this process sounds, don\u2019t panic. You would have to eat several pounds of rhubarb leaves to reach a toxic level\u2014so don\u2019t feel like you need to toss the whole batch if tiny leaf scraps end up in your rhubarb muffins<\/a>. But do avoid eating the leaves whole\u2014even a few can make you feel sick.\r\n\r\nAnd, if you learn how to grow rhubarb<\/a> in the garden, keep Fido away from the patch. Most pets are a lot smaller than humans, so it takes very few rhubarb leaves to do damage. Give your pup one of these dog-friendly foods instead<\/a>.\r\n\r\n\t\t\t
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Sweet and Savory Rhubarb Recipes<\/div>\t\t\t\t
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