Soups

Cordyceps Spore, Yam, Goji, Lily and Conch Soup

Traditionally used to nourish the five organs, support the lungs and ease cough

In short: Cordyceps Spore, Yam, Goji, Lily and Conch Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to nourish the five organs, support the lungs and ease cough. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, everyday balance. Total time about 1 hr 50 min. Key ingredients: chinese yam, goji berries, lily bulb, ginger.

Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr 30 min
Total
1 hr 50 min
Makes
1.2 to 1.5 L
Cordyceps Spore, Yam, Goji, Lily and Conch Soup

Why people make this soup

The solar term “Start of Winter” (li dong) has arrived. Tradition says it’s time for a tonic to build resilience against cold and illness — but when the weather is still mild, an overly warming soup isn’t ideal. Frozen conch is available at many supermarkets and Asian grocers; paired with cordyceps spore heads, fresh yam, goji, and lily bulb, it makes a soup that is nourishing and rich yet gentle. Conch makes an exceptionally savory broth and is rich in protein and trace minerals, and cordyceps spore heads — where the plant concentrates its nourishment — are traditionally associated with supporting the lungs and kidneys and easing cough.

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.

  • Cordyceps flower · Randomized controlled trial · 2015
    Compared with placebo capsules, the C. militaris group had greater increases from baseline in NK cell activity, lymphocyte proliferation, IL-2 and IFN-γ. No statistically significant adverse reactions were reported.Limitation: Only healthy men were studied, for 4 weeks, with 39 and 40 per group. Findings are immune-marker changes rather than clinical outcomes, and the capsules were an ethanol-treated preparation.PubMed 26284906 · 2 more cordyceps flower studies
  • Goji berries · Meta-analysis, 161 participants · 2012
    Compared with placebo (n=80), the goji juice group (n=81) reported greater improvements in several self-rated symptoms, including stress, mental acuity, sleep quality and overall well-being, under a random effects model.Limitation: Outcomes were self-reported symptom questionnaires, and several symptoms showed significant heterogeneity across the four pooled trials of a single branded juice.PubMed 22897500 · 3 more goji berries studies
  • Ginger · Meta-analysis, 23 studies · 2022
    Overall, acute and delayed nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between ginger and control groups. A subgroup taking 1 g/day or less for over four days had less acute vomiting (OR 0.30).Limitation: Clinical heterogeneity between trials required subgroup analyses, and the authors state that sufficiently large, high-quality RCTs are still needed.PubMed 36501010 · 3 more ginger 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

  • Goji berries: A few cases of raised INR (a bleeding-risk marker) have been reported in people taking warfarin after drinking concentrated goji tea or wine. If you take a blood thinner, check with your doctor. Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering — Lycium

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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