Question: I have two questions about rhubarb. First, is it poisonous if eaten raw? And second, what is its nutritional value?Answer: While raw rhubarb stalks don't taste terribly good, they aren't poisonous. The leaves, however, contain a potentially fatal toxin. During World War I, for reasons which remain a mystery, Americans were encouraged to consume the leaves as vegetable supplements and became ill from doing so.
Rhubarb's nutritional value is not terribly impressive. It contains some calcium, but that is bound to a compound called oxalate, and the body cannot use it. It also provides small amounts of minerals, carotene, and vitamin C. Served plain, it has few calories - only about 16 per cup. But unless you use an artificial sweetener, the amount of sugar you'll need to make it palatable will add considerably to the total, climbing to as many as 140 calories per cup.However, if you add a sweet fruit such as sliced strawberries, you can cut back significantly on the sugar and calories. This is why rhubarb is often combined with strawberries to make a delicious summer pie.
Question: How long can I keep potato salad in my refrigerator before it becomes unsafe to eat?Answer: Let's backtrack a minute to how the salad is originally prepared and stored. Ideally, potato salad should be made from chilled ingredients, mixed and refrigerated immediately in a container shallow enough to allow for rapid, even cooling, rather than in a deep bowl. It should then be kept under continuous refrigeration, removing the container just long enough to serve the food. Under those ideal conditions, it would keep well for several days.
A more realistic scenario: The salad is allowed to sit out for several hours on a buffet table. Eventually, the leftovers are refrigerated. What you have is a potential recipe for foodborne infection.
There is no set time when food becomes unsafe to eat. No clear line can be drawn. Also, some people, such as the elderly and those who are ill, are more prone to suffer from food-related infections than are younger, healthier people, who might consume questionable food without ill effect. But if conditions for preparing and storing food are less than ideal, you are opening the door to potential problems.
Even if you've handled your potato salad carefully every step of the way, it's best to use up leftovers quickly. And if you have any doubt about its safety, why take a risk? Throw the potato salad out and start fresh.
Question: Why is pink grapefruit pink? Has it been injected with dye?Answer: No. The answer lies in genes, not artificial coloring. Genetic differences determine whether a tree will produce white, pink or red grapefruit.
Half a medium grapefruit, which is approximately 41/4 inches in diameter, has only about 55 calories and will give you a full day's serving of vitamin C, as well as some B vitamins. Both the red and pink types also contain some carotenes as well, which means that they contribute to your intake of vitamin A.
1992, Washington Post Writers Group