Kudzu May Curb Metabolic Syndrome

Kudzu—a botanical used in herbal medicine—may help manage metabolic syndrome, according to a recent study. Increasingly common in the U.S., metabolic syndrome is marked by a cluster of health problems (including excess belly fat, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, and inflammation) that are known to raise your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

For the study, a group of female rats with metabolic syndrome was fed a diet supplemented with kudzu extract. After two months, the kudzu-fed rats had gained less weight than rats that weren't fed kudzu. Rats in the kudzu group also had healthier levels of blood pressure, insulin, and cholesterol than their study counterparts.

In traditional Chinese medicine, kudzu is often used to treat menopausal symptoms, the common cold, and alcoholism. Past studies suggest that kudzu may also offer anti-inflammatory effects.