Nourilo

Food-therapy guide

What foods help with night sweats?

Short answer

Foods traditionally used for night sweats include black soybeans, wheat, cornus fruit, sour jujube seeds and wolfberry root bark. Black Bean, Wheat and Pigeon Soup is a strong general choice, while Goji Berry and Wolfberry Root Chicken Soup particularly suits menopausal heat and night sweating. For night sweats alongside restless sleep, Cornus, Goji and Prepared Rehmannia Tea is traditionally taken to nourish blood, calm the spirit and ease sweating.

Sleep & CalmWomen's Wellness

In Chinese food-therapy traditions, night sweats are often approached as a deficiency pattern rather than simply as excess heat. The accompanying signs help guide the choice: some people feel weak and drained, while others have restless sleep, frequent dreams, hot flushes or other signs traditionally associated with deficiency heat.

These recipes take several approaches. Black soybeans, wheat and cornus fruit are traditionally associated with restraining excessive sweating; sour jujube seeds are often used when poor sleep accompanies sweating; and wolfberry root bark is traditionally used to clear deficiency heat, particularly around menopause.

7 recipes compared

RecipeTypeKey ingredientsBest forTime
Black Bean, Wheat and Pigeon Soup Soups Black soybeans, Wheat grain or floating wheat, Red dates, pitted General night sweats, including menopause and children 135 min
Goji Berry and Wolfberry Root (Di Gu Pi) Chicken Soup Soups Fresh wolfberry root bark, Goji berries, Chicken breast Menopausal hot flushes, night sweats and fatigue 1 hr 10 min
Cornus, Goji and Prepared Rehmannia Tea Herbal & Flower Teas Cornus fruit (shan zhu yu), Prepared rehmannia root (shu di), Goji berries Night sweats with restless sleep or frequent dreams 35 min
Astragalus, Black Soybean and Beef Soup with Southern Dates Soups Astragalus root, Green-kernel black soybeans, Southern dates Night sweats with exhaustion and low energy 105 min
Cornus Fruit, Codonopsis & Schisandra Tea Herbal & Flower Teas Cornus fruit, Codonopsis root, Schisandra berry Weakness, convalescence or sweating after childbirth 50 min
Biota Seed and Toasted Ziziphus Tea Herbal & Flower Teas Biota seeds, Toasted sour jujube seeds Night sweats with stress and restless sleep 15 min
Wheat Berry and Red Date Congee Congee & Porridge Wheat berries, White rice, Red dates Menopause with anxiety, broken sleep and night sweats 1 hr 10 min

The recipes, and why each one fits

  1. Black Bean, Wheat and Pigeon Soup

    Best for: General night sweats, including menopause and children

    Black soybeans and wheat make this one of the most directly targeted recipes for excessive sweating. Floating wheat, when available, is traditionally considered more effective than regular wheat for both daytime and night sweating.

    traditionally used to tonify qi, calm the heart, and help reduce excessive sweating

  2. Goji Berry and Wolfberry Root (Di Gu Pi) Chicken Soup

    Best for: Menopausal hot flushes, night sweats and fatigue

    Wolfberry root bark is traditionally used to clear deficiency heat, while goji berries provide a nourishing counterpart. This soup is particularly associated with menopausal hot flushes and night sweating.

    traditionally used to clear deficiency heat, ease menopausal hot flushes, and restore energy by nourishing the liver and kidneys

  3. Cornus, Goji and Prepared Rehmannia Tea

    Best for: Night sweats with restless sleep or frequent dreams

    Cornus fruit is traditionally used to restrain deficiency-type sweating, while prepared rehmannia and goji berries make this a nourishing tea associated with restful sleep and night sweats.

    Traditionally taken to nourish blood, calm the spirit and ease night sweats

  4. Astragalus, Black Soybean and Beef Soup with Southern Dates

    Best for: Night sweats with exhaustion and low energy

    Astragalus is traditionally associated with strengthening defensive qi and reducing excessive perspiration, while black soybeans are used to nourish and help restrain night sweating. The beef and southern dates make this a more substantial, fortifying soup.

    traditionally used to consolidate defensive qi, reduce spontaneous and night sweating, and support energy

  5. Cornus Fruit, Codonopsis & Schisandra Tea

    Best for: Weakness, convalescence or sweating after childbirth

    Cornus fruit, codonopsis and schisandra are traditionally combined to consolidate the body and curb excessive sweating. It particularly suits the traditional pattern of sweating alongside weakness, poor appetite or unsettled sleep.

    traditionally used to consolidate the body and curb excessive sweating

  6. Biota Seed and Toasted Ziziphus Tea

    Best for: Night sweats with stress and restless sleep

    Biota seeds and toasted sour jujube seeds are traditionally used to calm an overactive mind and support more restful sleep. This quick tea is especially relevant when night sweating appears alongside stress-related insomnia.

    traditionally used to calm the mind, ease restless sleep, and reduce night sweating

  7. Wheat Berry and Red Date Congee

    Best for: Menopause with anxiety, broken sleep and night sweats

    Wheat berries and red dates form a mild kitchen interpretation of the traditional Gan Mai Da Zao combination. The congee is associated with calming restlessness, supporting sleep and easing night sweating, particularly around menopause.

    traditionally associated with calming the heart and mind, easing night sweats, and supporting restful sleep

How to choose

  • For menopausal night sweats with hot flushes, choose Goji Berry and Wolfberry Root Chicken Soup; wolfberry root bark is traditionally associated with clearing deficiency heat.
  • For sweating with pronounced tiredness or a run-down feeling, choose Astragalus, Black Soybean and Beef Soup or Cornus Fruit, Codonopsis & Schisandra Tea.
  • For night sweats accompanied by restless sleep, frequent dreams or a busy mind, consider Cornus, Goji and Prepared Rehmannia Tea or Biota Seed and Toasted Ziziphus Tea.
  • For children who sweat heavily during sleep, Black Bean, Wheat and Pigeon Soup is the most directly suitable choice; use half quantities for children.
  • For a quick option, Biota Seed and Toasted Ziziphus Tea takes 15 minutes; the pigeon and beef soups take considerably longer at 135 and 105 minutes respectively.

When to be cautious

  • Do not use the astragalus soup or Biota Seed and Toasted Ziziphus Tea during an active cold or fever; wait until you have recovered.
  • Cornus, Goji and Prepared Rehmannia Tea and Cornus Fruit, Codonopsis & Schisandra Tea are not suitable during pregnancy. The rehmannia tea should not be taken long term; stop once symptoms improve.
  • For Black Bean, Wheat and Pigeon Soup, halve all quantities when preparing it for children.
  • Night sweats can have causes that food therapy cannot address. See a doctor if they persist, are severe or keep recurring.

Common questions

What is the best food-therapy recipe for night sweats?

For a broad starting point, Black Bean, Wheat and Pigeon Soup is one of the most directly targeted recipes in this collection. Black soybeans and wheat are traditionally associated with reducing excessive sweating, and the soup has traditionally been used for both night sweats and spontaneous daytime sweating. Floating wheat can be used when available.

What should I choose for night sweats during menopause?

Goji Berry and Wolfberry Root Chicken Soup is particularly relevant when night sweats occur with menopausal hot flushes and fatigue. Wolfberry root bark is traditionally used to clear deficiency heat. Wheat Berry and Red Date Congee is another option when menopause also brings anxiety, broken sleep, palpitations or a general sense of restlessness.

What can I drink for night sweats and poor sleep?

Cornus, Goji and Prepared Rehmannia Tea is traditionally taken for night sweats alongside restless sleep and frequent dreams. Biota Seed and Toasted Ziziphus Tea is another suitable choice when stress, an overactive mind or insomnia accompanies the sweating. The latter takes only 15 minutes to prepare and should be avoided during an active cold or fever.

Are these recipes suitable for children with night sweats?

Black Bean, Wheat and Pigeon Soup is specifically described as suitable for children who sweat heavily during sleep; use half the usual quantities for children. Floating wheat is traditionally associated with restraining both night and daytime sweating. Persistent or unusually heavy night sweating in a child should still be discussed with a doctor rather than managed with food therapy alone.

Guides are compiled from Nourilo's recipe library and describe traditional use. Read how we write and check our content and who is behind Nourilo.

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