Soups

Dried Ginger, Poria, Atractylodes and Licorice Soup

Traditionally warms the spleen and dispels cold-damp

In short: Dried Ginger, Poria, Atractylodes and Licorice Soup is a soup that Traditionally warms the spleen and dispels cold-damp. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, digestive wellness, cooling & summer heat. Total time about 50 min. Key ingredients: licorice root, ginger, poria.

Prep
5 min
Cook
45 min
Total
50 min
Makes
1 small bowl
Dried Ginger, Poria, Atractylodes and Licorice Soup

Why people make this soup

After Lunar New Year the weather can stay cold, and Nourilo reminds older readers — especially those with rheumatic aches, wear-and-tear joints, or a tired lower back — to keep warm and out of cold wind. This warming brew is a traditional way to support the spleen and dispel cold and damp.

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.

  • Licorice root · Randomized controlled trial, 66 participants · 2024
    Compared with placebo plus the same low-calorie diet, licorice extract was associated with greater improvements in body weight, BMI, body fat, lipid profile, fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR at 8 weeks.Limitation: Small sample, short 8-week duration, and an extract dose that is not comparable to licorice eaten as food; the authors call for confirmatory research.PubMed 39080737 · 3 more licorice root 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

  • Licorice root: Contains glycyrrhizin. Large amounts or long-term use have been linked to raised blood pressure and irregular heartbeat, and even smaller amounts have caused problems in people with high blood pressure, heart or kidney conditions, or a high-salt diet. Large amounts are unsafe in pregnancy, and it can interact with corticosteroids. Source: NIH NCCIH — Licorice Root

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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