Soups
Danshen, Poria, Lily Bulb & Longan Soup
Traditionally supports a calm mind and restful sleep
In short: Danshen, Poria, Lily Bulb & Longan Soup is a soup that Traditionally supports a calm mind and restful sleep. It is most often made for skin & natural beauty, sleep & calm. Total time about 70 min. Key ingredients: lily bulb, longan flesh.
Why people make this soup
Modern life — with its long work hours, crowded cities, and constant uncertainty — creates conditions where the mind struggles to switch off. Traditional Chinese food therapy has long recognised a class of herbs that support what practitioners call “calming the heart spirit” (an shen). This soup brings together four such ingredients: danshen (red sage root), a herb that classical texts say has the combined effect of four blood-nourishing herbs in one; fu shen (spirit poria), the form of poria that grows around pine roots and is considered particularly effective for the mind; lily bulb, which is gently cooling and moistening for an overheated, restless nervous system; and longan flesh with red dates to add sweetness and gentle nourishment. Together they form a broth that is easy to make and pleasant to drink before bedtime or during a stressful period.
What studies say about the key ingredients
Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.
- Red dates
Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates studies
From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.
Safety first — read before you cook
This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
- take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
- have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.
Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes
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