Astragalus, Chinese Yam, Goji Berry & Squab Pigeon Soup

Why people make this soup

This is one of Nourilo’s most trusted everyday tonics. It is made for that recognisable state many of us know too well: running low on energy, looking a little pale, eating less than usual, and finding concentration difficult. In Chinese food therapy, this cluster of symptoms points to a pattern of spleen qi deficiency — where the digestive system is not generating enough qi and blood to sustain the body. Astragalus (huang qi / bei qi) is one of the most widely used herbs in Chinese medicine precisely because it addresses this at the root: building qi and strengthening the body’s vitality. Combined with the gentler support of Chinese yam and goji berries, and the rich nourishing protein of squab pigeon, this is a soup that is deeply restorative without being overly warming or rich.

Nourilo notes that tonic soups are ideally taken on an empty stomach before meals, when the body can absorb the nutrients most efficiently.