Soups
Adzuki Bean and Job's-Tears Soup
Traditionally supports fluid clearance and eases gout discomfort
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu notes that gout often comes from irregular hours, heavy stress and too much high-purine food — mushrooms, organ meats, beans, seafood and shellfish — plus too much beer and rich, sugary, fatty eating, which all strain the body’s handling of uric acid. The first attack often hits at night, a big toe joint flaring red and hot. He stresses changing the lifestyle and diet early. While most beans run high in purines, adzuki beans are low, and both adzuki and job’s-tears are traditionally used to help the body move fluid along, which is why he pairs them here.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People prone to gout discomfort, mild puffiness, or fluid retention; also used as a preventive
- Not suitable during pregnancy. If pain is severe or keeps returning, please see a doctor.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Adzuki bean (chi xiao dou): unusually low in purines for a bean and traditionally used to support fluid clearance
- Job’s-tears (yi mi): classically associated with draining damp and supporting fluid balance
Ingredients (3 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adzuki beans | ~75 g (2 liang) | soaked and rinsed ~30 min |
| Job’s-tears | ~38 g (1 liang) | soaked and rinsed ~30 min |
Method
- Soak and rinse the adzuki beans and job’s-tears for half an hour.
- Cook in 7 bowls of water for about 1.5 hours, reducing to 3 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is mild and fragrant, fine for young and old, and traditionally seen as helpful for guarding against fatty liver. It is not suitable during pregnancy.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (yannis Tsang): How many days a week can I drink this adzuki and job’s-tears soup, and are there other food-therapy options for gout? Bro Niu: You can try fresh corn silk ~75 g with half a jin of winter melon simmered as a tea, or kudzu root ~300 g with adzuki bean and job’s-tears (each ~38 g) and 2 honey dates in a lean-pork soup — both traditionally help with gout discomfort. The adzuki-and-job’s-tears water can be taken up to 3 batches a week.
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Q (Ting Ting): I recently caught a cold with aching all over, a sore throat and a fever of 39–40°C for two days. The doctor’s medicine brought it to 38°C; in the end I took antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and fever reducers. I’m not sure if the medicine was strong or I’m just weak, but afterward I sweated a lot and felt a bit dizzy. My digestion is weak and too much medicine nauseates me — any food therapy to ease this? Bro Niu: Try a kudzu-root soup, which is good for cold discomfort — you can add some adzuki beans, flat beans and a few figs. Have two batches.
Published April 23, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
