Soups
Ginkgo, Walnut, Almond and Francolin Soup
Traditionally used to support lung qi and calm chronic cough and wheeze
In short: Ginkgo, Walnut, Almond and Francolin Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to support lung qi and calm chronic cough and wheeze. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, sleep & calm, energy & vitality. Total time about 140 min. Key ingredients: ginkgo nuts, walnuts, southern dates, ginger.
Why people make this soup
Children and adults who have weak constitutions often seem to catch every cold that goes around, and when the lungs are truly deficient, a cough from one illness can linger for weeks until the next one arrives. In Chinese food-medicine thinking, this pattern points to underlying weakness in the lungs, spleen and kidneys — the three organs most closely involved in breathing, fluid metabolism and constitutional energy. This soup addresses all three at once, using ingredients that have centuries of use behind them.
Francolin (鹧鸪, zhe gu) is a small game bird prized in Cantonese food medicine for its unusually comprehensive nourishing properties — traditionally described as tonifying all five vital organs and supporting qi in the centre. Paired with ginkgo (which calms wheeze), walnut (which tonifies the kidneys and the lungs from below), and almonds (which gently descend lung qi and moisten), the soup becomes a deeply restorative winter tonic for anyone who tends toward breathlessness, frequent colds or constitutional fatigue.
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
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 - Ginger
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
- Ginkgo nuts: Fresh ginkgo seeds are toxic, and serious side effects have occurred after eating roasted seeds. Always cook them thoroughly, keep to the small amount in the recipe, and take extra care when serving children. Source: NIH NCCIH — Ginkgo
- 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
Members only
Unlock the full method & Nourilo's tips
One payment, lifetime access to every one of our 2,344 recipes — step-by-step methods, preparation tips and serving notes.
- Full step-by-step method for this and all 2,344 recipes
- Nourilo's Tips — sourcing, substitutions and serving notes
- One-time payment · card, Apple Pay or Google Pay · no subscription, no renewals
Checking your access…
$59.99 one-time · all recipes
Sign in or create a free account, then pay once by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Continue with GoogleBy continuing with Google or email you confirm you are 16 or older and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
$59.99 one-time · all recipes
Signed in as ·
Secure checkout by Stripe. One-time payment, no renewals. Access is linked to your Nourilo account and never expires. By paying you agree to our Terms of Use; you can get a full refund within 14 days (refund policy).
Comments
Join the conversation — sign in or create a free account to comment.
Continue with GoogleBy continuing with Google or email you confirm you are 16 or older and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Loading comments…