Soups
Gold-Silver Cabbage and Fig Soup
traditionally used to clear lung and stomach heat
In short: Gold-Silver Cabbage and Fig Soup is a soup that traditionally used to clear lung and stomach heat. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, digestive wellness, everyday balance. Total time about 2 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: figs.
Why people make this soup
Come autumn, the air turns dry and the body can feel it in unexpected ways — a scratchy throat, a stubborn cough, thick phlegm that is hard to shift, or even a sense of pressure in the chest. In traditional Cantonese food therapy, these are signs that the lungs and stomach have accumulated too much “heat.” This soup was designed for exactly those moments. It is light, naturally sweet, and gentle enough for the whole family to enjoy together.
The combination of dried and fresh Chinese cabbage is a traditional trick: drying concentrates the cabbage’s cooling, moistening quality, while the fresh leaves give the broth a clean flavour. Paired with apricot kernels and figs, the result is a soup that is both pleasant to drink and meaningfully nourishing.
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.
- 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
- Apricot kernels: Raw apricot kernels contain amygdalin, which turns into cyanide after eating. EFSA estimates that half of one small raw kernel can exceed the safe level for a toddler. Use no more than the recipe states, never eat them raw, and do not serve them to young children. Source: European Food Safety Authority
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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