Soups
Dragon's-Tongue Leaf, Shi Huang Pi and Apple Soup
Traditionally associated with moistening the lungs, clearing phlegm and easing cough
In short: Dragon's-Tongue Leaf, Shi Huang Pi and Apple Soup is a soup that Traditionally associated with moistening the lungs, clearing phlegm and easing cough. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness. Total time about 1 hr 45 min. Key ingredients: sweet and bitter apricot kernels, apple, carrot, lean pork.
Why people make this soup
After a cold, the throat often stays uncomfortable and a cough lingers on. Whether the cough is cold-type or heat-type, Nourilo reaches for fresh dragon’s-tongue leaf and shi huang pi — folk herbs long used to ease the lingering cough that follows a cold, as well as phlegmy cough and sore throat. With apricot kernels they are traditionally said to clear dryness and moisten the lungs, and adding two apples and a carrot makes the soup sweet and easy to drink for both cold and heat 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.
- Dendrobium
Salivary flow rate and oral mucosal scores improved more in the Dendrobium group than in the control group using vitamin B12 rinse alone (P < .05). Serum IL-10 rose from baseline, and oral bacterial composition differed.Limitation: Small single-hospital sample; the Dendrobium group also used the B12 rinse, and the abstract does not say whether the control group received a placebo drink.PubMed 39811879 · 2 more dendrobium 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
- 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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