Astragalus Reishi Red Jujube Lean Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

When someone has been dealing with chronic liver illness for a long time — whether it is hepatitis, fatty liver, or another condition — the traditional Chinese picture is one of prolonged depletion: the spleen and stomach weaken, qi and blood become insufficient, and the spirit grows restless. Nourilo describes the familiar constellation of symptoms: a sallow yellowish complexion, persistent low-energy, reduced appetite with bloating after eating, dull aching along the ribs, restless sleep, dizziness. The therapeutic logic in this soup is to address the underlying weakness rather than the symptom: strengthen the spleen’s energy (astragalus), calm and restore the spirit while supporting liver and immune function (reishi), and gently nourish the blood (jujube and pork). Both astragalus and reishi have been the subject of extensive modern research regarding their polysaccharide content and effects on immune modulation and liver-protective activity.

Method

1. Blanch the lean pork briefly in boiling water; drain and rinse to remove impurities.
2. Rinse and soak the astragalus and reishi briefly in fresh water.
3. Place all ingredients — astragalus, reishi, red jujube, and blanched pork — into a pot with 1.5 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 40 minutes until the liquid reduces to 600 ml.
5. Serve and drink the soup; eat the jujubes and pork.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is specifically intended for people whose liver condition is in the recovery phase and whose liver enzymes have returned to a normal range. If liver enzymes are still elevated, this tonic soup would add metabolic burden to an already-stressed liver — please wait. Once in recovery, the soup may be taken 2–3 times per week. An important note from Nourilo: people with a yin-deficient, heat-prone constitution (one who already runs warm, sleeps late, has red eyes, or gets nosebleeds easily) should also hold back on this warming formula and consult a practitioner about alternatives.