rhubarb
Fruit
Is rhubarb high in gos?
Is rhubarb high or low in gos? See its exact rating, how much counts as a portion, and its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility in one place.
Related checkers
Compare rhubarb across criteria
Sensitivity notes
Why gos food checker matters
Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are carbohydrates found mainly in legumes and some vegetables. They're a FODMAP that can ferment in the gut, causing bloating and discomfort in sensitive people.
- Canned and rinsed legumes are lower in GOS than dried
- Start with smaller portions and build up tolerance
- Some people find beano-type enzymes helpful
- Firm tofu is lower in GOS than silken tofu
- Sprouted legumes may be better tolerated
Sensitivities
What rhubarb contains
FODMAPs
Histamine & Amines
Plant compounds
Irritants
Additives
Allergens
Diet fit
Where rhubarb fits
Therapeutic diets
Lifestyle diets
Religious diets
What to know about rhubarb
Rhubarb sits with spinach and beet greens among the highest oxalate foods on an ordinary shopping list, and for the stalk that is the entire trigger story. It grades clean on histamine, gluten, lactose, nightshade, sulfite and nickel, and high on oxalate. The leaves are a separate matter and are not food at all: they hold far more oxalic acid than the stalks along with anthraquinone glycosides, and eating them causes burning, vomiting and kidney injury. One more thing shapes what you are actually logging. Almost nobody eats rhubarb plain, because it is too sour, so the real serving is stewed with a lot of sugar, baked under pastry or folded through custard.
Watch for
- Never eat the leaves.Trim and discard them, and do not treat them as a green. They combine very high oxalic acid with anthraquinone glycosides, a combination linked to severe vomiting, burning of the mouth and throat, and acute kidney injury
- The stalks are still high in oxalate, which puts rhubarb on the same list as spinach and beet greens for anyone who forms calcium oxalate stones
- Boiling does not rescue it the way it does other high oxalate vegetables.Soluble oxalate leaches into the cooking water, but rhubarb is stewed in its own juice and that juice is eaten, so the oxalate stays on the plate
- Salicylate is unrated for rhubarb in our data.Do not read the run of clean columns as an all clear if salicylates are the sensitivity you are tracking
- The serving is a sweet one.A crumble or pie brings sugar and a wheat pastry with it, so record those separately before deciding the rhubarb was the problem
Explore related in Fruit
Compare similar foods to build a personalized list of swaps that work for your system.
GOS Guide
Everything you need to know about gos sensitivity and smart food choices.
Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are carbohydrates found mainly in legumes and some vegetables. They're a FODMAP that can ferment in the gut, causing bloating and discomfort in sensitive people.
Sensitivity varies widely. What triggers one person may be fine for another. Track your reactions to find your personal threshold.
These foods are generally well-tolerated for GOS sensitivity:
View all safe options
These foods have moderate levels and may be tolerated in small amounts:
These foods are high in gos and may trigger symptoms:
View full list
If you're sensitive to GOS, consider these strategies:
- 1Canned and rinsed legumes are lower in GOS than dried
- 2Start with smaller portions and build up tolerance
- 3Some people find beano-type enzymes helpful
- 4Firm tofu is lower in GOS than silken tofu
- 5Sprouted legumes may be better tolerated
Pro tip: Keep a food diary to track your reactions. The Triggerbites app makes this easy with automatic pattern detection.
Want personalized tracking?
Download Triggerbites to log meals, track symptoms, and discover your unique triggers.
Get the AppFAQ
Is rhubarb high in GOS?
GOS: low signal for most people.
Can I still eat rhubarb if I'm sensitive to GOS?
Usually fine in normal portions.
What else should I check?
Check Oxalates, Reflux Diet, and Acidic Foods next for a fuller picture.