Danshen, Spirit Poria and Longan Lean Pork Soup

Why people make this soup

Modern life is full of pressure — from work, relationships, financial worries, and the expectations placed on children. Even young children can suffer from anxiety when surrounded by adult stress. Nourilo’s message is simple: keep a positive attitude, do what is within your capacity, move your body regularly, and when the nervous system needs a little extra support, good food can help. This soup revolves around danshen (red sage root), a herb so highly regarded in traditional Chinese medicine that classical texts describe it as functionally equivalent to the famous “four-substance” blood tonic formula: “one herb, danshen, achieves the effect of four.” Together with spirit poria — a form of poria mushroom that grows around the root of a pine tree and is traditionally considered superior for calming the mind — longan flesh for nourishing blood and the heart, and red dates for their spirit-settling qualities, this is one of Nourilo’s go-to soups for anyone carrying too much weight on their shoulders.