Astragalus, Scallion and Fermented Soybean Soup

Why people make this soup

Most people associate colds with an excess of pathogenic energy invading the body. But some people — particularly those who are chronically tired, pale, short of breath, or prone to catching every bug that goes around — experience colds differently: their immune system simply has too little energy to mount a proper response, so they get sick easily and recover slowly. TCM refers to these individuals as “xu ren” (deficient person), and their colds require a different approach. Rather than just clearing the pathogen, you also need to prop up the body’s qi at the same time.

This is where astragalus (bei qi / huang qi) comes in. It is one of the most studied and respected qi-tonifying herbs in Chinese medicine, with modern research also investigating its effects on immune modulation. Paired with fermented black soybean (dan dou chi), which is traditionally used to release the surface of the body and ease feverishness, and scallion white (cong bai), which helps open the nasal passages and promote circulation, this simple soup covers both fronts.