KUZU (or ‘KUDZU’) is a one of my all time favourite of the Japanese superfoods – and there’s a reason why. Not only is Kuzu amazing for boosting your immunity, but also has quite an extensive range of health benefits!
Now that the cold and flu season will be upon us in the next few months, I thought it was particularly important I share with you about KUZU – as it could just be the key to keeping sickness at bay this Winter.
If you would like to learn about KUZU, it’s heritage and where it comes from, you can do so by viewing my earlier blogpost HERE.
KUZU – WHY USE IT?
It’s no secret that KUZU is my ‘go to’ medicine during the cooler months. I keep Kuzu in my kitchen all the time & find it always helps alleviate my cold and flu symptoms, whilst safeguarding my immunity!
Apart from alleviating these cold and flu symptoms that can get particularly nasty in the winter months, Kuzu also has a number of extensive health benefits, as it contains powerful isoflavones.
So, what are Isoflavones?
Simply put, Isoflavones are a class of flavonoids that exhibit antioxidants, anticancer, antimicrobial & anti-inflammatory properties.
Soy isolfavone is probably the most well known of these, that made soy a very popular superfood for medicinal purposes. Quite a few companies have actually made soy isoflavone supplements as they’ve recognised it’s health benefits.
Amazing Isoflavones in KUZU
The GREAT news is that Kuzu contains more than 20 types of isoflavones! These include: Puerarin, daidzein and daidzin being the main isoflavones – with Puerarin as the most abundant isoflavone (about 60%) in the kuzu root.
Out of these Puerarin has a number of potent antioxidant properties – with 100 times GREATER antioxidant effect than Vitamin E!
Health Benefits for Isoflavones in KUZU
Isoflavones in kuzu have been shown to be effective in SO MANY diseases! Studies have shown they may be helpful to:
- Reduce inflammatory conditions
- Lower blood pressure
- Prevent atherosclerosis
- Relieve allergic reaction
- Down-regulate blood glucose and have the potential to treat type I and II diabetes
- Reduce menopause symptoms
- Contribute to prevention of cancer (exhibit anti-tumor activity in breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer)
Aren’t all these health benefits just amazing?!!
I love using kuzu for desserts
This is amazake ( Samurai’s energy drink! ) and kuzu pudding
recipe from Japanese superfoods cookbook!
I hope I have inspired you to start using KUZU in your cooking! Such an amazing, immune-boosting and versatile ingredient that will help you on the path to better help this winter!
DO YOU NEED HEALTHY VEGAN COOKING INSPIRATIONS?
Do you know I run a cooking school in Sydney?
You don’t live in Sydney?
Don’t worry, there are two ways to learn Japanese cooking with me.
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Plant Based Cookbooks
If you want to cook more easy and tasty Japanese vegan meals using Japanese superfoods – real key for Japanese health, please grab my vegan cookbook “Japanese Superfoods” or “Top 3 Japanese Superfoods for Natural Weightloss” or even better, you can have “Japanese Superfoods combo deal” to master Japanese Superfoods.
