Adzuki Bean, Longan, Ginger, and Red Date Soup

Why people make this soup

Some degree of puffiness is normal in the days and weeks after giving birth — the body redistributes the extra fluid accumulated during pregnancy. But when a new mother is visibly swollen, pale, exhausted, eating poorly, and experiencing heart palpitations or a heavy, bloated feeling, traditional Chinese food therapy sees this as a pattern of blood and qi deficiency combined with fluid accumulation. The spleen — which in Chinese medicine governs fluid metabolism and the production of qi and blood from food — has been strained by the demands of pregnancy and labor.

This simple four-ingredient soup brings together adzuki beans (a traditional food-therapy staple for draining dampness and swelling), warming longan and ginger (to gently raise qi and warm the middle), and red dates (to support blood and calm the heart). The result is a warming, subtly sweet broth that is easy to prepare and gentle enough for a new mother’s depleted system.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients. Soak adzuki beans in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain.
2. Place all ingredients in a pot with 1.5 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Cook for 1 hour until the liquid reduces to about 600 ml.
5. Drink the broth and eat the solid ingredients — the adzuki beans, longan, and dates are all part of the nourishment.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is also appropriate for anyone who tends to look a bit puffy-faced or washed-out, not just new mothers. If you have had a cesarean birth and are avoiding ginger, substitute one piece of tangerine peel (chen pi) instead — it still helps move qi in the digestive system without being as warming. Keep dietary salt low during recovery, as excess sodium will worsen any fluid retention. Gentle abdominal massage in a single direction for about 10 minutes daily can also help the uterus return to its normal size, which in turn supports fluid balance.