Kudzu as a wild food source?

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Ok-Shape2158@reddit

Thank you, people eat all kinds of plants that are difficult or for poor folk but not kuzu and I want to forage it.

Someone said it's not a reliable food source but where we are its 10xs more reliable than anything else growing around here, seem to be impossible to kill without effort and planning so I researched it and when I found people ate it without even thinking about it. It frustrates me. Food snobbery and lack of visibility.

https://gardenandgun.com/recipe/the-weird-and-wonderful-ways-you-can-cook-with-kudzu-really/

https://civileats.com/2024/04/02/cooking-kudzu-the-invasive-species-is-on-the-menu-in-the-south/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/true-story-kudzu-vine-ate-south-180956325/

We can make baskets, clothing, and paper out of the fiber (Similar to bamboo and Chinese privet).

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CornTofuHash@reddit

I have planted a wild survival garden and very very slowly introduced that food into my system so there is no shock to the digestion if I ever have to eat tons of it to survive.

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seth928@reddit

The Bobiverse is leaking

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klutzikaze@reddit

That's what I was thinking too.

I also referred to the bobiverse yesterday on another sub when someone bought up the present golden rule and not the real one (treat people the way they want to be treated).

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PutteringPorch@reddit

What's the present golden rule?

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klutzikaze@reddit

"Treat people the way you want to be treated" is our golden rule but in one of the bobiverse books (heavens gate iirc) we meet a civilisation whose golden rule is "treat people the way they want to be treated" which makes more sense to me.

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PutteringPorch@reddit

Oh, I see. I misread your comment LOL

Thanks for explaining.

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klutzikaze@reddit

I'm happy to explain anything about books I love.

I really recommend the bobiverse books. The audiobooks are very well narrated.

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Cute-Consequence-184@reddit

Only if

They grow in your area

And they aren't being regularly sprayed with chemicals

It grows around here and is sprayed regularly with some pretty bad chemicals. It still grows, but less vigorously.

I won't even touch it for cordage or spinning.

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SpringPowerful2870@reddit

It’s used medicinal but any plant that can go through concrete isn’t anything I would want. It was considered a noxious weed

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

I am more a stinging nettle person. Soup. Tea. Anything cooked.

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Paranormal_Lemon@reddit

All fiber, no calories. 100g has 42 calories.

110g of kudzu root has 382 calories

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

You are not incorrect. But the vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A, C and K, as well as several B vitamins · Minerals: Calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and more.

I would hate to do 2000 plus calories of stinging nettle soup. But kudu is a weed and invasive plant (all the more reason to eat it.) Would not encourage growing unless necessary.

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Paranormal_Lemon@reddit

I know it has lots of vitamins. Post says food source not vitamin source.

Kudzu grows all over in the southern part of my state (KY). I agree I would not grow it. Nettle grows wild here, I have an unlimited supply by the creeks and I live in a city.

Pine needles are another good vitamin source.

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RonJohnJr@reddit

Fortunately, there no law mandating we eat only kudzu or stinging nettle.

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satsugene@reddit

I do pine needle tea just because I like it.

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

Stop it. You are making me peckish. I wish there was a tree closer. Like walking distance. But they have all been getting cut down. Pine and a little honey. The things you can't pay for. Thanks you crazy SOB.

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

Thank you for not spreading. Also thank you for getting snackish.

You know. Show me a kudzu curry and I will be impressed

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Opcn@reddit

You'll eventually run out of steam with empty calories and no vitamins. You'll run out of steam really quick without food calories. Even if you've got a month of fat stored around your belly it's a lot easier to be productive on 1200 calories a day than on 400.

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

So mix it up. Not that hard to thermous a tea. Something to sip on. Hope you can find honey. Or make the honey. Or add sugar ish things.

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Opcn@reddit

Tea alone is extremely low in food calories. Honey and sugar are extremely rare in nature. Banking on them is like planning to win money in vegas, most people who think they will are wrong.

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

And when I am feeling snackish. I likes me some nettle tea. Clears the mind. Settles the sál..

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Opcn@reddit

An appetite suppressant is not an alternative to dietary intake of food calories.

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

I would not call it an appetite suppressant. And this recipe can be added to but highly seasonal. Won't get raw maple syrup base a lot of the year. But figure it out. But I just like it because all I need is nettle, gloves and hot water for the base. Hydrate or dyrdrate.

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Opcn@reddit

If it makes you less hungry without food calories it is an appetite suppressant. You might not say it is but your description is an extremely close fit for it.

Maple sap is highly perishable and only available during a short season. Areas where maples are in sugar for more than a brief period are geographically distinct from areas where Kudzu is abundant. Maple syrup and maple sugar are extremely energy and labor intensive products. While many (most) deciduous trees in north america can be used for making sugar or syrup maple is preferred because it takes dramatically less work and grows well in regions where there is a long season.

There is nothing wrong with nettles, but they aren't a calorie crop. Like someone posting about the importance of a good tent for camping and you going on about your favorite kind of hiking boot, they aren't the same thing.

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SunnySpot69@reddit

Doesn't matter if I encourage or not lol

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

You know, stop saying the truth. The powers to be will realize you are intelligent and come for you. The definition of an invasive plant. We must not speak of this.

Show me your kudzu recipes. Maybe buckwheat udon with tempura kudzu. Wonder how it would hold up in a miso soup.

But you are right. Grows like a weed. Times 10. Just keep an eye out for the tesla branded ufo coming to abduct you for your brain (it's a joke!)

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kkinnison@reddit

but it is incredibly tasty when prepared. my CSA always gives me a bunch of Nettles every year and it is perfect to add to a spring soup

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Signal_Helicopter_36@reddit

I really need to try the nettles. Our yard is full of them every year.

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AlphaDisconnect@reddit

Wear gloves. Heat hot enough to break down the sting part. Free ninety ninety. Gloved five finger discount. Pretty much a weed. Go for the higher up leaves. Especially if you have aphids. Don't even have to drive to the grocery store.

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cloudthi3f@reddit

Apparently kudzu root can be lactofermented. Thanks for this OP!

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suzaii@reddit

As a prepper who doesn't eat meat, I would chow down on any plant, root, or weed, invasive or not if I knew it wouldn't make me sick. Lol

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madpiratebippy@reddit

Kudzu is wild in the US but it’s a domesticated species- it’s not just edible but tasty.

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dkstr419@reddit

Kudzu is an invasive plant. My yard is full of it. It’s a huge pain to remove it.

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madpiratebippy@reddit

Goats love it. Also poison ivy. I was able to eradicate poison ivy with goats. :)

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dkstr419@reddit

I have poison oak, kudzu, wild raspberry, and English Ivy that someone thought was a good idea-all overtaking the yard. City sez I can’t bring in goats. If poison oak was a cash crop, I could retire.

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wstdtmflms@reddit

Hell! Kudzu is a delicacy in Japanese culture.

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Apprehensive-Can1002@reddit

Feral foraging looks like, dude has lots of info on his channel. Kudzu starch has no gluten if I remember right so breads will be crumbly but supposedly it’s good for frying. That being said I would have to be in a horrible position to want to do this. It’s an unreliable food source much of the year and after lots of effort what your left with amounts to shitty flour. It’s always good to have more knowledge and maybe kudzu could save your life one day but don’t expect it to.

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Adventurous_or_Not@reddit

The young leaves can be used on anything a spinach can do. Flowers for tea, and the vines are good for crafts.

The flour is a good thickening for soups.

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goddessofolympia@reddit

I was given kudzu to eat in Japan when I had the flu. It was in a powder that was mixed with warm water to make a gloppy paste.

It didn't taste bad, but it'd be way down my list.

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Eurogal2023@reddit

From an older blog:

https://motherhensrecipes.blogspot.com/2014/07/kudzu-recipes.html

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halpscar@reddit

Knotweed too.

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MadRhetorik@reddit

Just be careful where you harvest. Lots of people try to kill this back with glyphosate and all it does is yellow out and bounce back so it looks like it was never sprayed.

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Femveratu@reddit

I saw this thumbnail on YT and have saved it, looks good even if a fair amount of work to ground it into flour etc

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th30be@reddit

Yeah. There is a shit lot of it in Georgia. I have harvested the roots and flowers. Made some jam with the flowers and have cooked the roots. The jam was pretty good. Not sure about the roots. Maybe I didn't do it right but it was definitely edible.

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AdditionalAd9794@reddit

I'm not sure how the roots taste, I assume similar to sweet potatoes. Maybe you could mix the two.

I mix equal parts Jerusalem artichoke tubers and potatoes for mashed potatoes, it's indistinguishable from mashed potatoes.

Potentially, assuming my assumption is correct, maybe try 2 parts sweet potatoes, 1 part kudzu

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th30be@reddit

It might have just been the root I harvested. I am not sure. It was extremely bitter. But I ate it. Obviously, I was just trying to see if it was edible (Yes, I did research before but wanted to experiment). Next time, I would add more seasonings and maybe some sugar.

Or like you said, mix it with sweet potato.

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