The effects and benefits of kudzu flower (Pueraria lobata) are widely recorded in traditional medicine.

Kudzu flower is the flower of the kudzu vine (Pueraria lobata), a leguminous climbing plant. It is mostly a small purple-blue or pale purple flower that usually opens in late summer and early autumn. People generally pick the flowers before they have fully opened, spread them out to dry, and then store them; this is the kudzu flower commonly found in Chinese herbal medicine.

In traditional Chinese medicine, kudzu flower is cool in nature and sweet in taste. Folk tradition has long held that kudzu flower can counteract alcohol, and after drinking, people often steep kudzu flower in water to help sober up and relieve the discomfort after drinking. In addition, it is also believed to clear heat and to awaken the spleen and harmonize the stomach, and it is often used for thirst after drinking and poor appetite.

In terms of composition, kudzu flower contains flavonoid compounds and various other substances, which is one reason it has attracted attention. However, it should be noted that these effects mostly come from traditional experience, and results vary from person to person. When drunk as a substitute tea in daily life, it should not be claimed to have therapeutic effects, nor can it replace medication.

In daily use, the most common way to prepare kudzu flower is to steep it in water as a tea; simply pour boiling water over a small amount of dried flowers, and it can also be combined with chrysanthemum, dried tangerine peel or honey to make the taste more acceptable. In some places it is also added to soups or congee, but the amount used generally should not be too much.

It should be noted that kudzu flower is cool in nature, so people with a weak and cold spleen and stomach who are prone to diarrhea should not drink much of it, and pregnant women and those with special constitutions had better consult a doctor before drinking it. When buying, choose flowers that are whole, naturally colored and free of musty smell; during storage, keep them dry and sealed to prevent moisture and spoilage.