Known as “the vine that ate the south,” this hated invasive spread rampantly after a failed attempt by our government in using it for erosion control. That really is a shame, because Kudzu is one of the most useful plants known to man. The root is powerfully medicinal, having anti-viral properties and even the ability to help with alcoholism, as well as helping with fevers, diarrhea and increasing blood flow to the heart. The vine, itself, can be processed to make fine fibers for cordage and clothing, or left in its natural state, used to weave baskets. The plant is also remarkably edible!
Among the two most difficult to obtain nutrients in foraged foods are fats and starches. For plant based fats, we have to turn to nuts and seeds. For starches, only a few tuberous roots are non-toxic and worth the trouble to process. Kudzu roots are very large and the process of extracting the starch is not difficult. First, dig up a root or two… considering that a mature root can be as big as a full grown man, you probably want to harvest a couple of smaller ones! Chop the roots into pieces that are easy to handle. Wash and scrub all the dirt off. Peel the roots. Slice or chop the roots into small pieces (use a saw, machete or heavy cleaver), then grate or grind them up and mix with water. Using an electric blender is the easiest and most effective way, but a box grater will do. Pour the slurry into a vessel, covered with cheese cloth and let the mixture drip through – this will take quite a while. The starch will settle to the bottom in a layer of fine, white powder. Pour off the liquid, collect and dry the starch. Okay… so it is not a fast process and it does take a good bit of work if you don’t have an electric blender. But, in a survival situation, this starch would be very valuable nutritionally. It can be used in any way you might use corn starch or arrow root. In Asia, they make candies and puddings with it. I have used starch to thicken gravies and in berry pies.
The leaves are much easier to harvest! Another issue in surviving on wild plant foods is the scarcity of protein. I choose to get my wild protein and fats from harvesting animals. But, Kudzu leaves are a valuable source of plant protein… and, since the vine can grow about a yard a day in the summer, this is an abundant supply of food for both man and animal. Before the disastrous attempt to use Kudzu to combat erosion, a man from Georgia named Channing Cope promoted it as a forage and hay crop for cattle. Cope was a big, colorful southern character and a hero of mine. He was wrongly blamed for the spread of kudzu and his story ended tragically. Kudzu leaves are also packed with vitamins, making them one of the most valuable sources of nutrition to be had in quantity; enough to sustain people to be found in the woods. I wish more people would use Kudzu instead of spraying it with herbicides… Kudzu, alone could probably do more to end world hunger than any single plant both as a vegetable and as livestock feed – chickens and goats LOVE it, BTW!
Kudzu leaves seem somewhat tough and have a slightly furry texture when on the vine. When cooked, they become tender and the texture is just like any other potherb. The flavor is much like spinach – not remarkable, but good. I simply either boil them or cook them down in some fat as I would spinach. You could certainly use them as a substitute in a spinach casserole, cream of spinach, soup, spanakopita, lasagna, with eggs, etc. I am sure you could eat them raw, but the raw texture is off- putting to me. Along with a few hickory nuts, one could survive on raw leaves… but I would rather wilt them in some bacon fat and top with pecans and feta cheese.
The real treat Kudzu offers is the flowers. Kudzu flowers not only smell like grapes, and have a purple color like grapes, but they can be used identically to grapes for every purpose except eating out of hand. Kudzu flowers are fine to snack on and quite tasty, but they do not taste like grapes when raw. Use them exactly as I instructed for Dandelion flowers in making wine, syrup and jelly (add pectin to the syrup for jelly). The only difference between Kudzu flower wine and that made from a sweet, purple grape like Concord, is the floral note. The aroma is a very nice accent, and I would recommend bottling the wine while it is still a bit lively – let it carbonate in the bottle for a Lambrusco type of wine to enhance the floral aroma.
This article is an excerpt from
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Disclaimer
The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have "traditionally been used for." I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.
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