Have you ever felt bloated, gassy, or like your stomach is in knots after a big meal? Indigestion plagues many of us from time to time, often because our fast-paced modern lives leave little room for rest and relaxation after eating. While Tums and other antacids may offer temporary relief, they don’t address the underlying causes of poor digestion. As a long-time health nut, I was curious if natural remedies could provide a gentler, more comprehensive solution. That’s when I came across kudzu root — an herb with a long history of traditional use in Asia to support digestion. What I found about this often-overlooked superfood may surprise you.
Therefore, it is important to use caution when planting kudzu and to properly manage its growth. It can also interact with some medications, including blood pressure medications, sedatives, and diabetes medications. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ This could lead to adverse reactions that could be harmful or even life-threatening in some cases. Therefore, it is essential to speak to your doctor before using it if you are on any medication.
It helps with metabolic syndrome symptoms
In Thailand, the women use Pueraria Mirifica or Thai kudzu to relieve the symptoms of menopause. In Thailand where I live, it is used as an ingredient in cooking or found as a supplementary ingredient for improving symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes. One study published in 2013 looked at the effects of a standardized kudzu extract on 17 men diagnosed with alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse. They were separated into two groups and either treated with kudzu root or a placebo for the duration of the four-week trial. No side effects have been reported in clinical studies when kudzu is taken by mouth.
Kudzu root has also shown to help regulate glucose, AKA sugar, in the blood, Beckerman says. “It’s a vine,” says Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, registered dietitian and in-house nutrition expert at Betches Media. “The root, flower, and leaf are used to make medicine.” Kudzu has been a staple in Chinese medicine, for like, forever—we’re talking at least 600 AD. And it was introduced to the United States in 1876 when it was used to control soil erosion. By affecting estrogen in the body, kudzu may decrease the effectiveness of some drugs. Regardless, if you’re on any medication, make sure to check with your doctor.
Does Kudzu Root Really Work? Here’s What We Know
The subjects were people taking the extract and those taking a placebo. What’s more, the kudzu plant leaves, vine tips, and purple flower blossoms are also edible. You can eat the root as you would other root vegetables, like potatoes or rutabagas. Kudzu roots can be dried and ground into a powder, which some people use as breading for fried foods or as a thickener for soups and sauces. In its raw form, kudzu root resembles other root tubers, such as potatoes or yams.
There is also good evidence that drinking clear spirits reduces the severity of hangovers. Dr. Neil McGregor has warned that the active components of Kudzu have been linked to cancer. And they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. These very promising results led to research involving humans. Giving a Kudzu root extract twice daily failed to reduce craving and sobriety scores.
Kudzu Root Side Effects
Kudzu root is the edible part of a trailing vine native to several Asian countries. People have used it for many years in traditional Chinese medicine, and it resembles other root tubers, like yams. The plant is a trailing vine that often grows over other plants and trees. Therefore, you must take it for at least 2-4 weeks to notice most of the benefits. But again, cycling the herb and not taking it at least twice a week is necessary to prevent tolerance in the long term.
- In addition, you can also purchase it in the form of food-grade starch powder.
- Bored children traveling rural highways insist their parents wake them when they near the green kudzu monsters stalking the roadside.
- Of 71 patients 29 showed improvement, 20 showed some improvement, while 22 patients showed little or no improvement.
- The kudzu root may interact with certain medications or pose other health risks for certain people.
The roots of the plant are particularly rich in isoflavones which are known to have health-promoting properties. Kudzu is also rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Typical symptoms of an allergic reaction include hives or rashes, itching, and swelling. There are also instances where allergic reactions have led to breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath, wheezing, and signs of anaphylaxis.
Historical Uses of Kudzu
Also, it should be used with caution by people with heart diseases and not without consulting a professional health care worker first. Kudzu may increase the effects of kudzu extract for alcoholism some heart medications and should not be used concurrently with such drugs. Kudzu is often used as a remedy for heart and circulatory problems and high blood pressure.
Scientists need to do more research on the effects of kudzu root in humans to investigate these effects in the liver. While scientists need to do more research on the health effects of kudzu, some studies suggest that kudzu root may have other health benefits worth considering. Some health companies sell the kudzu root species Pueraria mirifica as a supplement for menopausal and postmenopausal women. It’s important to note that these studies used kudzu extract, which may have contained other parts of the kudzu plant besides the root. Thus, scientists need to do more research in this area on the effects of kudzu root specifically. Kudzu root is easily available in online stores and natural food supplement stores.
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Let’s explore a few health benefits of this root that may contribute to weight loss. These antioxidant compounds give kudzu root a wide range of medicinal uses. Among the most common uses of the herb are to treat inflammation and high blood pressure, alcoholism, cold and flu symptoms and menopause symptoms. It is important to note that kudzu root may interact with certain medications, including those used to treat diabetes and high blood pressure. If you are taking any prescription medications, be sure to consult with your doctor before adding kudzu root to your supplement regimen. Additionally, kudzu root should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, as its effects on fetal development and lactation are not yet fully understood.
- Kudzu root, leaf, and flowers have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries.
- It has been used as a medicinal herb for a variety of ailments such as alcoholism, angina, cancer, headache, a migraine and high blood pressure.
- Furthermore, the men who took kudzu had fewer heavy drinking days per week and had significantly more consecutive days with no alcohol consumption (2).
- Kudzu root is linked to a wide range of potential health benefits from easing menopausal symptoms to treating alcohol dependence.