Soups

Astragalus Codonopsis Calming Soup

Traditionally used to nourish qi and blood and support restful sleep

In short: Astragalus Codonopsis Calming Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to nourish qi and blood and support restful sleep. It is most often made for skin & natural beauty, sleep & calm, energy & vitality. Total time about 1 hr 45 min. Key ingredients: astragalus root, codonopsis root, chinese yam, dendrobium.

Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr 30 min
Total
1 hr 45 min
Makes
1.2 L
Astragalus Codonopsis Calming Soup

Why people make this soup

Big-city life is stressful, and more and more people — especially those over 60 — struggle with sleep as their bodies change. Nourilo often sees older folks who find it hard to drop off, can’t sleep deeply, or wake early and can’t settle again. In traditional thinking this often goes with a “heart and spleen” that are run down and qi and blood that have grown thin. This warm soup is meant to nourish qi and blood while strengthening the spleen and calming the heart — a comforting bowl to support a good night’s sleep.

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.

  • Astragalus root · Meta-analysis, 8 studies, 750 participants · 2025
    TA-65 was associated with longer leukocyte telomeres compared with controls, but the meta-analysis found no significant improvement in frailty measures or inflammatory markers (CRP/IL-6). Mild gastrointestinal effects were reported.Limitation: Industry-funded trials reported larger effects than others, and the compound is a purified extract at doses not comparable to eating Astragalus root.PubMed 41286474 · 3 more astragalus root studies
  • Dendrobium · Randomized controlled trial · 2025
    Salivary flow rate and oral mucosal scores improved more in the Dendrobium group than in the control group using vitamin B12 rinse alone (P < .05). Serum IL-10 rose from baseline, and oral bacterial composition differed.Limitation: Small single-hospital sample; the Dendrobium group also used the B12 rinse, and the abstract does not say whether the control group received a placebo drink.PubMed 39811879 · 2 more dendrobium studies
  • Lotus seeds · Randomized crossover trial, 10 participants · 2019
    Lotus seed meals had a low glycemic index (GI 21–51 across the lotus seed and adzuki bean meals), while several other starchy foods did not differ significantly from rice. Lotus seed's in vitro hydrolysis index was also lower than that of other test foods.Limitation: Only ten healthy participants and acute single-meal tests, so findings may not apply to people with diabetes or to long-term intake.PubMed 30875961

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.

Ingredient notes for this recipe

  • Astragalus: May interact with medicines that suppress the immune system. A thorough safety evaluation has not been done, and little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Astragalus

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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