Kudzu Health Benefits, Properties, and Uses

Kudzu is a climbing vine that is native to China. It’s used as a natural remedy as part of the Traditional Chinese Medicine system. Kudzu’s botanical name is Pueraria lobata and it belongs to the Fabaceae family. In Chinese, kudzu is called Ge Gen.¹

Kudzu can grow over 30 feet long. It produces oval shaped leaves with blue-purple flowers. Kudzu was transplanted to North America in the 1800’s and is now considered an invasive species in the southern United States. Despite this, kudzu root has a long-standing tradition in Asia as a medicinal remedy and as a culinary ingredient to add to cooking for flavor. ^1,2

Kudzu Health Uses and Health Benefits

Kudzu health benefits are typically associated with the root part of the plant. Kudzu root contains important phytochemicals that can treat and prevent many chronic diseases. Kudzu contains quercetin, a type of flavonoid with antioxidant properties. Kudzu also contains other antioxidant phytochemicals including genistein and isoflavone compounds. ²

As a natural antioxidant, kudzu health benefits include being able to lower levels of chronic, low-grade inflammation. This is important because many of our modern day chronic diseases result from the ongoing stress associated with long-term and system-wide inflammation. ²

One of those most interesting kudzu health benefits is its natural ability to raise alcohol levels. This gives the person taking kudzu the effects of alcohol without actually consuming alcohol.^2,3

Other kudzu health benefits include:

• Aiding with digestion 
• Easing menopausal symptoms
• Shrinking tumors and killing cancer cells 
• Controlling cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and insulin levels 
• Boosting blood flow to the brain to alleviate headaches 

Kudzu uses include being a natural remedy for:

• Alcoholism - The natural alcohol effects of kudzu make it a placebo remedy for treating alcoholism.
• Neck Pain - Kudzu naturally helps to control blood pressure, which can alleviate neck pain in people with high blood pressure.
• Drug Abuse - Like with its effects on alcoholism, kudzu uses can be for acting as a placebo replacement treatment in people with drug abuse problems.
• Metabolic Syndrome - Kudzu health benefits help to naturally regulate many of the symptoms associated with metabolic syndrome including high blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and insulin levels.

Kudzu Side Effects and Precautions

Kudzu side effects may include having a negative interaction with birth control pills. Kudzu side effects may also cause a sharp drop in blood pressure, which means people with diabetes should be cautious taking kudzu root.²

References

1. https://www.mdidea.com/products/herbextract/kudzu/data01.html
2. https://draxe.com/kudzu-root/ 
3. http://www.raysahelian.com/kudzu.html