[Leica] Re: Kudzu

[sethrosner at nycap.rr.com (Seth Rosner)]

My word, Larry; kudzu will put Pfizer, Merck, Bristol Myers, Astra Zeneca et 
al. out of business.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lawrence Zeitlin" <lrzeitlin@optonline.net>
To: <lug@leica-users.org>
Cc: "Lawrence Zeitlin" <lrzeitlin@optonline.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 5:15 PM
Subject: [Leica] Re: Kudzu


>
> On Dec 31, 2008, at 3:55 PM, Greg wrote:
>
>> 70 acres is not very much land but wouldn't be best to clear the
>> Kudzu vines
>> out and have someone grow a food crop on it?
>>
>> Here the land would be leased out for cultivation to a local farmer.
>>
>> I assume that you still own the land?
>
>
> You all are giving kudzu no respect. In several parts of the world
> kudzu is cherished both as a food and medicine. Considering the date,
> I especially like that it is a cure for hangovers.
>
> Read the following excerpt from the Wikipedia article on kudzu:
>
> Food
>
> The non-woody parts of the plant are edible. The young leaves can be
> used for salad or cooked as a leaf vegetable, the flowers battered
> and fried (like squash flowers), and the starchy tuberous roots can
> be prepared as any root vegetable. The starchy roots are ground into
> a fine powder, known as kuzu, and used for varieties of Wagashi and
> herbal medicines. When added to water and heated, kudzu powder
> becomes clear and adds stickiness to the food. It is sometimes known
> as "Japanese arrowroot", due to the similar culinary effect it
> produces.[3]
>
> Its leaves are high in vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and
> protein. Its roots are rich in starch and its flowers are an
> excellent honey source.[4]
>
> Jelly
>
> The purple flowers of Kudzu are also used to make a sweet jelly. This
> jelly is well known in the southern United States. This jelly has
> been described as tasting like either a cross between apple jelly and
> peach jelly or bubblegum.[citation needed] The viscous substance has
> a golden yellow color.
>
> Medicine
>
> Studies have shown that kudzu can reduce both hangovers and alcohol
> cravings.[5][6][7] Persons who take kudzu will still drink alcohol;
> however, they will consume less than if they had not taken kudzu.[8]
> The mechanism for this is not yet established, but it may have to do
> with both alcohol metabolism and the reward circuits in the brain.
> The Harvard Medical School is studying kudzu as a possible way to
> treat alcoholic cravings, by turning an extracted compound from the
> herb into a medical drug.[9]
>
> Kudzu also contains a number of useful isoflavones, including
> daidzein (an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent), daidzin (a
> cancer preventive) and genistein (an antileukemic agent). Kudzu is a
> unique source of the isoflavone puerarin. Kudzu root compounds can
> affect neurotransmitters (including serotonin, GABA, and glutamate)
> and it has shown value in treating migraine and cluster headache.[10]
> It is recommended for allergies and diarrhea.[11]
>
> Research in mice models suggests that Kudzu is beneficial for control
> of some post-menopausal symptoms such as hypertension and diabetes
> type II.[12]
>
> In traditional Chinese medicine, where it is known as g? g?n (?
> ?), kudzu is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. It is used
> to treat tinnitus, vertigo, and Wei syndrome (superficial heat close
> to the surface).
>
> Larry Z
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


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