Kudzu is a native plant of China. As early as the time of Yao, Shun, and Yu, people began to use kudzu vines to make hemp fabric. In 1972, three pieces of kudzu fabric fragments were excavated from Caoxie Mountain in Wuxian County, Jiangsu Province, dating back to the Neolithic period. These fragments are still exquisite in craftsmanship today, serving as reliable evidence that China has been using kudzu roots for over 6,000 years.
During the Zhou Dynasty, the imperial court established the position of "kudzu manager" to collect and manage kudzu and other textile raw materials. There was a distinction between "mountain farmers" who wove kudzu fabric and "marsh farmers" who provided food. Kudzu roots are known as the "ginseng of Jiangnan" and are a green food that combines nutrition, medicinal properties, and deliciousness.
The Medicinal Value of Kudzu Roots
In addition to being rich in carbohydrates, essential amino acids, and mineral elements necessary for the human body, kudzu roots also contain isoflavones and a small amount of flavonoids. Among them, puerarin, daidzein, and genistein are the main active components of kudzu roots, especially puerarin with the highest content. Li Shizhen of the Ming Dynasty conducted a systematic study on kudzu roots and believed that the stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and roots of kudzu can all be used as medicine. He recorded in his book "Compendium of Materia Medica" that kudzu has the following effects: "sweet, pungent, mild, non-toxic, mainly used to treat thirst, fever, vomiting, and various disorders, it can nourish Yin and detoxify." Modern medical research has shown that the isoflavones in kudzu roots, especially puerarin, have certain therapeutic effects on hypertension, hyperlipidemia, hyperglycemia, and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Kudzu roots have high culinary value, and kudzu powder is known as "longevity powder" and is considered a "special food for the royal family" in Japan. Regular consumption of kudzu roots can regulate the body's functions, enhance physical fitness, improve the body's disease resistance, delay aging, and maintain youthful vitality. Modern medical research has shown that kudzu isoflavones have anti-cancer effects and estrogen-like effects, helping women with breast enhancement and beauty. It is particularly effective for middle-aged and menopausal women in maintaining beauty and health. In addition, kudzu roots also have the ability to alleviate alcohol intoxication.
Methods of Consuming Kudzu Roots
1. Osmanthus Kudzu Powder Soup
Grind the kudzu roots into powder, mix an appropriate amount of kudzu powder with cold water, and then pour boiling water over the kudzu powder to make it crystal clear. Add osmanthus sugar and stir evenly. This soup is sweet and refreshing, with a fragrant aroma, and has the effects of clearing heat, quenching thirst, and relieving muscle soreness. It is suitable for fever, thirst, restlessness, and oral ulcers.
2. Kudzu Powder Congee
Grind the kudzu roots into powder, soak the glutinous rice in water overnight, drain the water the next day, and mix it evenly with kudzu powder. Cook the congee according to the usual method and add seasoning after the congee is cooked. This congee is smooth, tasty, and fragrant, and has the effects of nourishing the body, raising the body's yang energy. It can be used to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. It is suitable for people with hypertension, diabetes, diarrhea, and dysentery.
3. Kudzu Powder Rice
Mix cooked glutinous rice with kudzu powder, add an appropriate amount of soybean paste water, and cook it over high heat. Season with condiments and enjoy. This rice is refreshing, invigorates the mind, and enhances intelligence. It can be used to treat conditions such as memory decline.
4. Kudzu Root Soup
Slice the kudzu roots, wash them, and stew them with pork ribs, chicken, or duck. Add seasoning and enjoy. This soup is fragrant, delicious, nutritious, and beneficial for people of all ages. It is especially suitable as a delicious dish during hot summer seasons.
5. Kudzu Root Tea
Wash the kudzu roots and slice them thinly. Take 30 grams per day and boil them in water to make tea. This tea has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, breaking down alcohol, invigorating the stomach, and protecting the liver. Drinking it before drinking alcohol can increase alcohol tolerance, and drinking it after drinking alcohol can promote the rapid decomposition and excretion of alcohol. Drinking it as a regular beverage for a long time can reduce blood lipid levels, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure.
