Soups
Astragalus, Tiger Milk Mushroom & Quail Soup
Traditionally used to strengthen lung qi and build immunity in children
In short: Astragalus, Tiger Milk Mushroom & Quail Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to strengthen lung qi and build immunity in children. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, children's wellness, energy & vitality. Total time about 1 hr 45 min. Key ingredients: astragalus root, tiger milk mushroom, red dates.
Why people make this soup
When children start school, they suddenly enter a world of shared classrooms, shared germs, and shared illnesses. Children with strong constitutions tend to bounce back quickly; those who are more fragile seem to catch one thing after another — a cold becomes a cough, and the cycle repeats, leaving parents exhausted and worried. Nourilo developed this soup specifically for children with what Chinese medicine describes as “lung qi deficiency” — a tendency toward respiratory weakness that makes them vulnerable to repeated upper respiratory infections. The key ingredient is tiger milk mushroom (hu ru ling zhi), a prized medicinal fungus native to Southeast Asia that has been used in traditional medicine for generations, particularly for lung-related concerns. Combined with the well-known immune-supporting herb astragalus (bei qi), red dates, and nourishing quail, this is a gentle, mild-tasting soup that most children will accept without complaint.
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
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 - 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.
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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