Dongeuibogam” (an oriental medicinal book) describes the characteristics of kudzu as below:

“The substance is smooth and cool. It is sweet, with no poison. It is helpful for headaches, and releases alcohol poison by widening pores and releasing sweat. It revives good taste and recovers digestion, and is helpful for burns. Thirstiness caused by exhaustion cannot be cured without kudzu roots. It is good for alcoholic diseases.”

Kudzu roots are retrieved in fall or spring, washed, dried, and cut into small pieces. 70% of kudzu is water, but it also has a well-rounded constitution of sugar, cellulose, protein, iron, phosphorous, and vitamins. It also has curative substances such as daidzin and daidzein for lowering body heat and blood pressure.