So I heard in the news:
Rhubarb should not be harvested after June 24! The stems contain oxalic acid, which is the stuff that roughens your teeth. The content is the lowest in the stems of young leaves in spring, but then increases until in mid-June it reaches levels which can be even poisonous to adults. In addition, this acid may promote the formation of kidney stones.
Last, but not least, if harvesting stops at mid June the plant has time to gather strength for a bountiful harvest next year. That sounds familiar from the asparagus, does it not?
In my own experience, I very much enjoyed my rhubarb and yogurt as a desert before bedtime while the leaves were still so young that I felt like I must be damaging the plant by harvesting so early. But the bounty increased, and so did the discomfort on my teeth, and that was because of that acid, I am sure. The say you should not brush your teeth until at least one half hour after eating rhubarb, to give them a chance to recover some from the etching they got.
Anyway, I have stopped harvesting and cooking rhubarb about two weeks ago because the last batch was really badly acidulous. Not knowing the context, i added sugar, but that did not help the discomfort to my teeth. Now I know why.
It is just a pity, because there is a "wealth of green" in the rhubarb batch which will go unused this year. We'll do better next year.
Isa
Rhubarb should not be harvested after June 24! The stems contain oxalic acid, which is the stuff that roughens your teeth. The content is the lowest in the stems of young leaves in spring, but then increases until in mid-June it reaches levels which can be even poisonous to adults. In addition, this acid may promote the formation of kidney stones.
Last, but not least, if harvesting stops at mid June the plant has time to gather strength for a bountiful harvest next year. That sounds familiar from the asparagus, does it not?
In my own experience, I very much enjoyed my rhubarb and yogurt as a desert before bedtime while the leaves were still so young that I felt like I must be damaging the plant by harvesting so early. But the bounty increased, and so did the discomfort on my teeth, and that was because of that acid, I am sure. The say you should not brush your teeth until at least one half hour after eating rhubarb, to give them a chance to recover some from the etching they got.
Anyway, I have stopped harvesting and cooking rhubarb about two weeks ago because the last batch was really badly acidulous. Not knowing the context, i added sugar, but that did not help the discomfort to my teeth. Now I know why.
It is just a pity, because there is a "wealth of green" in the rhubarb batch which will go unused this year. We'll do better next year.
Isa
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