Soups

Black-Eyed Pea, Peanut and Shiitake Soup

Traditionally promotes urination and is associated with easing puffiness

In short: Black-Eyed Pea, Peanut and Shiitake Soup is a soup that Traditionally promotes urination and is associated with easing puffiness. It is most often made for digestive wellness, children's wellness, liver wellness. Total time about 2 hr 30 min. Key ingredients: peanuts, cashews, shiitake mushrooms, red dates.

Prep
30 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 30 min
Makes
1.2 L
Black-Eyed Pea, Peanut and Shiitake Soup

Why people make this soup

Some people drink too much water or soup at night and wake up puffy the next morning — often a sign the body is moving fluids slowly. Nourilo’s answer is black-eyed peas, which in the southern Chinese tradition are valued for promoting urination and easing puffiness. The darker black-eyed pea is regarded as more effective than the pale kind; combined with peanuts, shiitake and cashews, the soup is both nourishing and traditionally associated with supporting the kidney and lower back.

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.

  • Shiitake mushrooms · Randomized controlled trial · 2015
    Daily shiitake intake was associated with increased ex vivo proliferation of γδ-T and NK-T cells, higher salivary sIgA and lower serum CRP, along with changes in cytokine patterns. The comparison was before versus after intake in two dose groups.Limitation: Parallel 5 g and 10 g dose groups with no placebo or non-mushroom control. Short 4-week study in healthy young adults, with mostly ex vivo immune markers.PubMed 25866155 · 2 more shiitake mushrooms studies
  • 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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