Soups

Red Bean, Black Rice and Red Date Sweet Soup

traditionally associated with warming the body, nourishing blood and brightening the complexion

In short: Red Bean, Black Rice and Red Date Sweet Soup is a soup that traditionally associated with warming the body, nourishing blood and brightening the complexion. It is most often made for skin & natural beauty, blood nourishment, everyday balance. Total time about 70 min. Key ingredients: red beans, red dates, tangerine peel, brown sugar.

Prep
10 min
Cook
60 min
Total
70 min
Makes
900 ml
Red Bean, Black Rice and Red Date Sweet Soup

Why people make this sweet soup

As the days shorten and temperatures drop through autumn and winter, Cantonese households reach for warming, blood-nourishing foods. This sweet soup came about when Nourilo bought a packet of black rice at the supermarket and discovered it was far better suited to a slow-cooked sweet soup than mixed into plain rice. The result is a deeply coloured, naturally sweet bowl that warms from the inside out — and the combination of red beans, black rice and red dates makes it as nutritious as it is satisfying.

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.

  • Adzuki beans · Randomized crossover trial, 10 participants · 2019
    Adzuki bean meals had a low glycemic index (21–51 range reported with lotus seed), whereas other starchy foods did not differ significantly from rice. Adzuki bean hydrolysis index was lower than other test foods.Limitation: Only ten healthy participants and acute single-meal responses, so effects in people with diabetes or with regular intake are unknown.PubMed 30875961 · 1 more adzuki beans study
  • Red dates · Meta-analysis, 483 participants · 2025
    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
  • Tangerine peel · Randomized controlled trial, 72 participants · 2025
    The tangerine peel drink group showed significant reductions in body weight and triglycerides after the intervention compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Safety markers showed no adverse effects. Gut microbiota and serum metabolite profiles also differed.Limitation: Small pilot trial with only 55 of 72 participants completing. The fermented product is not the same as plain tangerine peel, and the control group is not described.PubMed 40225325

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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