Soups

Psoralea, Walnut and Lotus Seed Soup

traditionally used to warm the spleen and kidneys and support a healthier complexion

In short: Psoralea, Walnut and Lotus Seed Soup is a soup that traditionally used to warm the spleen and kidneys and support a healthier complexion. It is most often made for digestive wellness, children's wellness, skin & natural beauty. Total time about 2 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: goji berries, lotus seeds, lean pork.

Prep
15 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 15 min
Makes
1.2 L
Psoralea, Walnut and Lotus Seed Soup

Why people make this soup

A healthy complexion — in traditional Cantonese thinking — reflects the state of the inner body. When the kidneys and spleen are functioning well, the face tends to look vibrant and well-rested. When these systems are depleted, the complexion can turn dull, grey, or even slightly dark, and the person often feels cold, fatigued, and generally below par. This soup was designed for exactly that pattern.

Psoralea seed (bu gu zhi) is the central herb here — warm in nature, it is traditionally associated with tonifying kidney yang and supporting the spleen’s digestive function. Combined with walnuts (which also warm and nourish the kidneys), lotus seeds (which calm and ground the spirit while nourishing the spleen), and goji berries (for their broad nourishing action), this becomes a gently warming soup suited to regular use across cooler months.

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
  • Goji berries · Meta-analysis, 161 participants · 2012
    Compared with placebo (n=80), the goji juice group (n=81) reported greater improvements in several self-rated symptoms, including stress, mental acuity, sleep quality and overall well-being, under a random effects model.Limitation: Outcomes were self-reported symptom questionnaires, and several symptoms showed significant heterogeneity across the four pooled trials of a single branded juice.PubMed 22897500 · 3 more goji berries studies
  • Lotus seeds · Randomized crossover trial, 10 participants · 2019
    Lotus seed meals had a low glycemic index (GI 21–51 across the lotus seed and adzuki bean meals), while several other starchy foods did not differ significantly from rice. Lotus seed's in vitro hydrolysis index was also lower than that of other test foods.Limitation: Only ten healthy participants and acute single-meal tests, so findings may not apply to people with diabetes or to long-term intake.PubMed 30875961

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

  • Goji berries: A few cases of raised INR (a bleeding-risk marker) have been reported in people taking warfarin after drinking concentrated goji tea or wine. If you take a blood thinner, check with your doctor. Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering — Lycium

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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