Kudzu powder, made from the root of the kudzu plant, is widely used in East Asian cuisine and could be consumed with boiled water or room-temperature water.
Dr. Bui Dac Sang at Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology says kudzu starch can help cool the body, quench thirst, as well cure neck pains, diabetes, and diarrhea.
Kudzu also helps ease fever, headaches, unusual sweats, and tiredness. People with sore throats, measles, pneumonia or loss of appetite are also recommended to consume kudzu starch.
According to Dr. Nguyen Thuy Linh, deputy head of the faculty of Nutrition and Dietetics at Hanoi Medical University Hospital, kudzu starch is good for health both when mixed with room temperature and boiled water.
However, people should be aware of the risk of infection when consuming the mixture of kudzu starch and room temperature water, as there may be contamination during the starch-making process, though all the nutrients in the dish are preserved when consumed this way.
Children, pregnant women, and those who have weak digestive systems should not consume the mixture of kudzu starch and room temperature water. Instead, they are advised to dissolve the starch in room temperature water, then add boiled water to the mixture or cook it until viscous. When kudzu starch is cooked this way, part of its nutrients will be lost.
Kudzu starch is beneficial, but it should not be consumed on a daily basis.
The best time to consume the dish is in the morning or 20 minutes before meals. Sugar or lime juice can be added to the mixture of kudzu powder and water to make it taste.
