A Brief History of Rhubarb in Western Civilization Many consider
rhubarb a fruit due to the dominance of rhubarb dessert recipes.
However, rhubarb is botanically a vegetable. More surprisingly,
rhubarb's role in history has been medicinal rather than
culinary. Indeed, widespread culinary uses began only two
centuries ago. Rhubarb's medicinal uses began at least 5000
years ago, to when Chinese used the dried roots as a laxative.
The first documented uses in western civilization are 2100 years
ago when rhubarb roots were an ingredient in numerous Greek and
Roman medicines. Dried rhubarb roots are also astringent. The
astringent effects closely follow the cathartic impact, which
made rhubarb roots a popular laxative in days of old. Though
uncommoon, dried rhubarb root is still sold as a laxative.
Therefore, it is noteworthy that the medical efficacy of rhubarb
roots varies significantly by variety. The original Chinese
variety remaining the most efficacious while some varieties have
no laxative value whatsoever.