As flu season is approaching, I’m not so worried, because I have Kuzu (aka Kudzu)! I don’t take cold/flu medicine, I incorporate Kuzu into my diet instead. Not only it works as a flu medicine but is also amazing for alleviating diarrhoea and infections, among many other health benefits!
Other health benefits provided by Kuzu include:
- Helps with cold and fever symptoms
- Anti-Cancer properties (anti-tumour effects in breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer)
- Mitigates inflammations
- Lowers blood pressure
- Prevents atherosclerosis
- Eases allergic reactions
- Reduces cholesterol levels
- Regulates blood glucose and possesses potential to treat type I and II diabetes
- Reduces menopause symptoms
- Promotes healthy aging
- Helps with detoxifications
- Alleviate muscle stiffness
- Addresses minor indigestions
- Helps with hangovers
What is Kuzu?
Kuzu Root. Photo credit: Muso International
You might be wondering what Kuzu is. Kuzu, also known as Kudzu is a traditional starch from a kuzu plant’s roots. Native to Japan and China, the plant belongs to the pea family.
Kuzu Root is one of the 50 fundamental medicinal herbs in Traditional Chinese medicine. It is well-known in China and Japan for its medicinal properties, for thousands of years. The root is taller and heavier than the average-size male, at around 200 pounds/90kg. It’s considered as the healthiest cooking starch or jellying agent!
Kuzu is the only alkalising starch there is, as all starch are acidic. It’s also easy to use, with no flavour, and its versatility shines, as you can use it to make western food, and even can be added to dessert!
How to spot the RIGHT KUZU from FAKE
Kuzu- An alkalising starch.
To gain all benefits of Kuzu, it’s important for you to ensure a REAL KUZU ingredient is being used, as there are an abundance of FAKE options in the market!
Many falsely labelled products are actually sweet potato/arrow root starch, and claim to be real Kuzu! High quality and pure Kuzu are more expensive due to the medicinal properties and as such, misrepresentations occur.
So, you should read and check the ingredients list carefully, to ensure you are buying the real thing!
See the comparison of these ‘KUZU’ products…
This is fake Kuzu. Look at the ingredients – Sweet Potato Starch?!
This is REAL Kuzu. Ingredients say: Kuzu (100%)!
While the first product is labelled as ‘KUZU’, it is actually sweet potato starch! The REAL KUZU contains organic kuzu root (100%). To be aware of what you’re consuming it’s important to check the labels!
Remember to look at labels and ingredient labels when purchasing Kuzu!
Hope you’ll be able to purchase the RIGHT Kuzu! Prepare for winter in the best way with Kuzu! Do try incorporating it in your dishes for maximum health benefits. It’s truly a versatile ingredient!
If you want to learn more about Kuzu and recipes about Kuzu, please check out my Japanese Superfoods Cookbook!
I hope this reassures you to go ahead and use authentic Kuzu in your cooking, to maximise your health benefits!
DO YOU NEED HEALTHY VEGAN COOKING INSPIRATIONS?
Do you know I run a cooking school in Sydney?
Please come and join my healthy Japanese superfoods cooking class in Sydney. We offer vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free cooking classes that are filled with tasty and easy recipes. You will learn not only cooking skills and tips but also how to use Japanese ancient wisdom on a daily basis for your health, energy, and beauty! Don’t be afraid to make it a group event, corporate team building cooking classes, hens party cooking classes and other group classes are available, the more the merrier! Join my cooking class from HERE or leave me an inquiry HERE.
You don’t live in Sydney?
Don’t worry, there are two ways to learn Japanese cooking with me.
NEW Japanese online cooking classes coming soon! More information to come, subscribe HERE so you don’t miss out!
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.
