Lingzhi, Astragalus and Poria Soup

Why people make this soup

Viral hepatitis comes in several forms — types A through E and beyond — and each person’s experience with chronic liver disease is different. In traditional Chinese food therapy, practitioners pay attention to the underlying pattern of imbalance: whether the liver qi is stagnant, whether there is damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder, or whether the liver yin is deficient. This particular soup is specifically oriented toward people whose chronic hepatitis comes with a noticeably weakened digestive system — fatigue, poor appetite, easy bloating. Nourilo sees it as a gentle daily support, not a cure, and emphasises that anyone dealing with hepatitis should be under proper medical care.

Method

1. Briefly blanch the lean pork in boiling water for 1–2 minutes to remove impurities, then rinse and set aside.
2. Rinse the lingzhi slices, astragalus, poria and red dates under cool water. Soak for a few minutes if they seem very dry.
3. Place all the ingredients into a pot with 1.8 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook for approximately 2 hours until the liquid reduces to about 900 ml.
5. Strain and serve warm. The soup can be divided into 2 portions and taken throughout the day.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup can function as an everyday wellness soup for liver protection — it is gentle enough that healthy people can enjoy it too. For those with hepatitis, regardless of which pattern or type, if you have noticeable spleen-stomach weakness symptoms (fatigue, poor appetite, loose stools), you can take one serving daily for two consecutive weeks. Note that red lingzhi (chi ling zhi) is considered most potent but is also the most bitter — it is generally not ideal for soups. Milder lingzhi varieties work better here. If you find the soup too bitter, slightly reduce the lingzhi or add an extra date for balance.