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Ginkgo Nut, Walnut and Pork Lung Soup

traditionally associated with nourishing the lungs and easing persistent cough

In short: Ginkgo Nut, Walnut and Pork Lung Soup is a soup that traditionally associated with nourishing the lungs and easing persistent cough. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, everyday balance. Total time about 140 min. Key ingredients: ginkgo nuts, walnuts, sweet and bitter apricot kernels, figs.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
20 min
Cook
120 min
Total
140 min
Makes
1.2–1.5 L
Respiratory & Lung WellnessEveryday Balance
Ginkgo Nut, Walnut and Pork Lung Soup

Why people make this soup

In Cantonese food therapy, pork lung has long been used under the principle that like nourishes like — eating lung tissue is thought to support the respiratory system. Cleaning a pork lung takes some patience, but the effort is worth it: the finished soup is surprisingly sweet and clear, and the cooked lung itself makes excellent eating. This recipe is particularly valued for people who experience lingering coughs, mild breathlessness, or feel their lung energy is depleted after an illness.

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.

  • Walnuts · Randomized controlled trial, 305 participants · 2019
    Office systolic BP changed by -4.61 mm Hg with walnuts versus -0.59 mm Hg in controls (P=0.051); 24-hour ambulatory systolic BP difference was not significant (P=0.111). No diastolic BP changes were observed.Limitation: Only 236 of 305 participants (75%) completed the study, and the main between-group differences did not reach conventional significance.PubMed 30879358 · 2 more walnuts 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

  • Ginkgo nuts: Fresh ginkgo seeds are toxic, and serious side effects have occurred after eating roasted seeds. Always cook them thoroughly, keep to the small amount in the recipe, and take extra care when serving children. Source: NIH NCCIH — Ginkgo
  • 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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