Kuzu is a Japanese superfood that I love to use in my cooking because of its amazing health benefits. One of the benefits I would like to focus today is how great it is for your liver which is especially important now because alcohol consumption in Australia has increased during the pandemic. So, let’s dive into the world of Kuzu and discover what it is, how it can help you and how simply and easy it is for you to incorporate it into your cooking for your health!
Raw Kuzu root (Left) and Powdered Kuzu starch (Right)
What is Kuzu ?
Kuzu (or Kudzu) is a root that is from the Pueraria genus of plants and is found in China, Japan and Korea.
It has been used in traditional Eastern medicines for centuries and has become increasingly popular in the Western world as an herbal supplement.
How can Kuzu help you?
Most of us love to enjoy a drink with our friends and family, especially with the holiday season coming up, but none of us want the nasty side effects that come with it. This is where Kuzu comes in. Kuzu is filled with antioxidants, particularly isoflavone puerarin, which studies have shown is extremely beneficial in treating liver damage caused by alcohol consumption. There is also research that suggests that Kuzu can help reduce alcohol dependency and binge drinking habits. Amazing, right?
Kuzu helps you have fun with your friends while maintaining a healthy liver!
Not a drinker ? Kuzu is still an amazing remedy for everything from flu to menopause!
But what if, like me, you are not a big drinker? Well, Kuzu has a lot of other fantastic health benefits. Kuzu is my go-to medicine when I have a cold or flu or even something as simple as an upset tummy and it has done wonders for me. Also, as we get older, menopause is something that we have to think about. Well, Kuzu can even help with menopausal symptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes.
Even if you are not sick or experiencing menopause, Kuzu is still great as it can detoxify your body especially after eating too much unhealthy food (which I am sure we are all guilty of during lockdown). The health benefits are endless and no matter what age or gender you are, Kuzu is a delicious ingredient that will have you feeling healthier and happier.
Dairy and gluten free kale soup using Kuzu. Click HERE for the recipe!
That sounds great, but what about the taste and how can you use it?
I know what you are thinking. This sounds too good to be true. There must be some catch. It must taste weird or be difficult to cook, right? Absolutely not! Kuzu has a very neutral taste which makes it very versatile and SUPER easy to include in a variety of different foods from savoury to sweet. It is often used in home remedies, herbal tea and sesame tofu or for deserts like wagashi or pudding. However, it can also simply be used as a thickener for sauces or as a substitute for flour or starch in a variety of different recipes.
If you want to learn more and discover some of my amazing recipes with Kuzu, you can check out my Japanese Superfoods Cookbook where I go into more detail about Kuzu and teach you how to use it in your cooking.
DO YOU NEED HEALTHY VEGAN COOKING INSPIRATIONS?
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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.
