Soups
Four Red Soup (Si Hong Tang)
Traditionally used to nourish blood, support heart qi, and brighten complexion
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu often notices that women who work desk jobs tend to worry a great deal about their weight — sometimes skipping meals or cutting back on food in ways that do more harm than good. Extreme calorie restriction can lead to low blood sugar, poor circulation, cold hands and feet, hormonal disruption, and a washed-out, pallid complexion. True wellness, Bro Niu believes, isn’t about being as thin as possible — it’s about having good colour, energy, and warmth in the body.
That is where the Four Red Soup comes in. It gets its name from the four naturally red or reddish ingredients: red dates, red adzuki beans, red-skinned peanuts, and goji berries. Each one has a long tradition in Chinese food therapy as a blood-nourishing ingredient. Together, the soup is mild, naturally sweet, deeply coloured, and genuinely pleasant to drink — particularly in the cooler months. It can also support recovery after surgery, significant blood loss, or following chemotherapy when blood cell counts may be lowered.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for all ages and genders — men, women, and children can drink it
- Particularly associated with supporting women with pallor, fatigue, low energy, or cold limbs
- After surgery or significant blood loss, traditionally used as a supportive tonic
- People who feel hot from red dates can swap to nan zao (southern dates) instead
- Women may drink it during menstruation but Bro Niu suggests it is even more effective after the period ends
- For those with particularly cold constitution or pallor, add a few slices of fresh ginger and a little brown sugar to the pot
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Red dates (hong zao): A classic blood-nourishing ingredient in Chinese food therapy; associated with strengthening the spleen, calming the mind, and supporting the heart
- Red adzuki beans (hong dou): Traditionally associated with supporting the heart and blood, mildly diuretic; the red skin is said to amplify the blood-nourishing quality
- Red-skinned peanuts (hong yi hua sheng): The red skin (yi) is the key — in traditional food therapy it is specifically the red skin that is believed to have blood-nourishing and haemostatic properties; keep the skin on
- Goji berries (gou qi zi): Naturally sweet; deeply associated with nourishing the liver and kidneys, brightening the eyes, and enriching the blood
Ingredients (2–3 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Red dates (hong zao) | 6–8 pieces | Remove the pits before cooking |
| Red adzuki beans (hong dou) | ~37 g (1 liang) | Soak and rinse |
| Red-skinned peanuts (hong yi hua sheng) | ~37 g (1 liang) | Keep the red skin on; rinse |
| Goji berries (gou qi zi) | 1 tablespoon | Rinse before use |
| Water | 6 bowls (~1.2 L) |
Method
- Soak the adzuki beans and peanuts in cold water for 20–30 minutes; rinse.
- Pit the red dates.
- Rinse the goji berries.
- Combine all ingredients in a pot with 6 bowls of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer.
- Cook for about 1 hour, until the liquid reduces to 2–3 bowls.
- Serve warm and eat the cooked beans, peanuts, and dates for maximum benefit.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup works well as a warming drink on its own, but the real goodness is in the ingredients — eat the beans, peanuts, and dates, not just the liquid. For women with very cold constitution who feel pallid and always chilly, adding 2–3 slices of fresh ginger and a small handful of brown sugar during cooking transforms this into a very warming blood-building drink. The soup is also considered supportive after surgery, heavy blood loss, or during cancer treatment recovery when blood cell counts are suppressed — always continue any prescribed medical treatment alongside food therapy in those situations; please see your doctor.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (reader): Can this soup be drunk during menstruation? Can boys drink it too? Bro Niu: Both menstruating women and boys can drink this soup. However, for the best blood-nourishing effect, it is even better to drink it after menstruation ends rather than during.
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Q (Liz): I have lupus and take blood thinners. During my period I feel particularly uncomfortable. What food therapy suits me for blood nourishment? Can I drink red date water? Bro Niu: For your situation, nan zao (southern dates) water suits you better — red dates can be slightly too warming. You could use motherwort (yi mu cao) 4 qian, southern dates 5 pieces, and brown sugar in 4 bowls of water, cooked down to 2 bowls, to help ease menstrual discomfort.
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Q (Xiao Hui): I am 52 years old, very thin, blood pressure is low (upper number 93–105), I feel weak and very tired. What can I take to help raise blood pressure? Bro Niu: Try codonopsis (dang shen) and Solomon’s seal (huang jing) 5 qian each, cinnamon bark (rou gui) 2 qian, red dates 8 pieces, and licorice root (gan cao) 2 qian, simmered in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. Drink it once a day, 3 times a week, for two weeks. Also, make a habit of adding fresh ginger to your daily cooking — ginger is quite supportive for low blood pressure.
Published February 2, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
