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  Kudzu Vine  Pueraria montana lobata     Edible Uses  Edible Parts: 
Flowers Leaves Root
  Root - cooked. It is rich in starch. The root can be up to 1.8 meters 
long and has been known to weigh 35 kilos or more. The root contains 
about 10% starch, this can be extracted and used as a crispy coating in 
deep fried foods, or for thickening soups etc. It can also be made into 
noodles, or like agar or gelatin and is used as a gelling agent. This 
plant is a staple food in Japan, the peeled root contains about 2.1% 
protein, 0.1% fat, 27.1% carbohydrate, 1.4% ash. The starch of the roots 
contains (per 100 g) 340 calories, 16.5 percent moisture, 0.2 g protein, 
0.1 g fat, 83.1 g total carbohydrate, 0.1 g ash, 35 mg Ca, 18 mg P, 2.0 
mg Fe, and 2 mg Na[269]. A nutritional analysis for the whole root is 
available. Flowers - cooked or made into pickles. The stems and young 
leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. A very nutritious food, the fresh 
young shoots taste like a cross between a bean and a pea. The cooked 
leaves contain (per 100 g) 36 calories, 89.0 percent moisture, 0.4 g
 protein, 0.1 g fat, 9.7 g total carbohydrate. 7.7 g fiber, 0.8 fat, 34 
mg Ca, 20 mg P, 4.9 mg Fe, 0.03 mg thiamin, 0.91 mg riboflavin, 0.8 mg 
niacin.
  Composition  Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
  Root (Fresh weight)
  ·         113 Calories per 100g
  ·         Water: 68.6%
  ·         Protein: 2.1g; Fat: 0.1g; Carbohydrate: 27.8g; Fiber: 0.7g; 
Ash: 1.4g;
  ·         Minerals - Calcium: 15mg; Phosphorus: 18mg; Iron: 0.6mg; 
Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg;
  ·         Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 
0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg;
  ·         Reference: [269]
  ·         Notes:
  Medicinal Uses  Antidote Antiemetic Antipyretic Antispasmodic 
Antivinous Cardiac Demulcent Depurative Diaphoretic Febrifuge 
Galactogogue Hypoglycaemic Hypotensive Styptic
  The kudzu vine, known as Ge Gen in China, is commonly used in Chinese 
herbalism, where it is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs.
  Recent research has shown that compounds called 'daidzin' and 
'daidzein', which are contained in the roots and the flowers, are a safe 
and effective method for treating alcohol abuse. They work by 
suppressing the appetite for alcohol, whereas existing treatments 
interfere with the way the alcohol is metabolised and can cause a 
build-up of toxins.
  The plant is often used in combination with Chrysanthemum x 
morifolium in treating alcohol abuse.
  The flowers and the roots are antidote, antiemetic, antipyretic, 
antispasmodic, demulcent, diaphoretic, digestive, febrifuge, 
hypoglycaemic and hypotensive.
  A concoction of the flowers and tubers is used to treat alcoholism, 
fever, colds, diarrhoea, dysentery, acute intestinal obstruction etc.
  It is useful in the treatment of angina pectoris and migraine[218]. 
The root is frequently used as a remedy for measles, often in 
combination with Cimicifuga foetida.
  The root contains puerarin. This increases the blood flow to the 
coronary artery and protects against acute myocardial ischaemia caused 
by the injection of pituitrin.
  The root can be harvested from the autumn to the spring and is used 
fresh or dried.
  The flowers are harvested just before they are fully open and are 
dried for later use.
  The stems are galactogogue and are also applied as a poultice to 
incipient boils, swellings, sore mouths etc.
  The seed is used in the treatment of hangover and dysentery.
  The leaves are styptic.
  Other Uses  Fibre; Ground cover; Paper; Soil reclamation; Soil 
stabilization.
  A tough, strong fiber from the stems is used to make ropes, cables, 
coarse cordage and textiles. The fiber is 2 - 3mm long and can be used 
to make paper. Straight first year stems, 2 - 2.7 meters long, are 
harvested in mid summer, the leaves are removed and the stems steamed 
until the fibers can be stripped. The fibers are then cooked for 2 hours 
with lye, tough vines might require 4 hours cooking, and the fiber put 
in a ball mill for 3 hours. The resulting paper is greenish/cream in color.
  This plant can be used as a ground cover plant in a sunny position. 
Plants have an extensive root system which can be 1.8 meters deep, they 
are used for erosion control and for rebuilding depleted soils.
  The plant is a member of the Leguminosae, so it adds nitrogen to the 
soil through the actions of root bacteria.
  Scented Plants  Flowers: Fresh
  The flowers have a sweet vanilla scent



--
Bevanron of EarthNSky Farm   Sleep well tonight, for somewhere in the 
ocean's depths, MY son is protecting YOUR freedom.