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Ginkgo Nut, Walnut, Tiger Milk Lingzhi and Dried Crocodile Meat Soup

traditionally used to support lung strength, ease chronic coughing, and calm wheezing

In short: Ginkgo Nut, Walnut, Tiger Milk Lingzhi and Dried Crocodile Meat Soup is a soup that traditionally used to support lung strength, ease chronic coughing, and calm wheezing. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, sleep & calm. Total time about 140 min. Key ingredients: ginkgo nuts, tangerine peel, lean pork.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
20 min
Cook
120 min
Total
140 min
Makes
1.2 L
Respiratory & Lung WellnessSleep & Calm
Ginkgo Nut, Walnut, Tiger Milk Lingzhi and Dried Crocodile Meat Soup

Why people make this soup

In Cantonese food-therapy tradition, dried crocodile meat (e yu rou gan) is considered one of the finest ingredients for supporting lung strength and easing chronic respiratory weakness — it has been used in Hong Kong herbal soup shops for generations. Combined with ginkgo nuts (which have a long history of use in Chinese medicine for lung and asthma-related conditions), walnuts (associated with kidney and lung tonification), and tiger milk lingzhi mushroom (a Southeast Asian medicinal fungus associated with respiratory support), this soup is aimed at people who have a naturally weak constitution, experience recurring coughs that linger well after a cold, or have mild asthmatic tendencies. Nourilo makes this for family members who seem to catch every seasonal bug and struggle to fully recover.

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
  • Tangerine peel · Randomized controlled trial, 72 participants · 2025
    The tangerine peel drink group showed significant reductions in body weight and triglycerides after the intervention compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Safety markers showed no adverse effects. Gut microbiota and serum metabolite profiles also differed.Limitation: Small pilot trial with only 55 of 72 participants completing. The fermented product is not the same as plain tangerine peel, and the control group is not described.PubMed 40225325

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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