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Hawthorn, Malt & Radish Digestive Soup

traditionally used to move qi and ease food stagnation after rich meals

In short: Hawthorn, Malt & Radish Digestive Soup is a soup that traditionally used to move qi and ease food stagnation after rich meals. It is most often made for digestive wellness, children's wellness, liver wellness. Total time about 1 hr 10 min. Key ingredients: hawthorn, green radish, lean pork, red dates.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
10 min
Cook
1 hr
Total
1 hr 10 min
Makes
1.2 L
Digestive WellnessChildren's WellnessLiver WellnessKidney & Urinary WellnessEnergy & Vitality
Hawthorn, Malt & Radish Digestive Soup

Why people make this soup

Around Lunar New Year, friends and relatives come home from all over and there are endless gatherings out at restaurants. To make dishes look glossy and taste richer, kitchens often flash-fry the ingredients in oil — vegetables, tofu, meat, all of it — something we rarely do at home. After a few of those meals the body has absorbed a lot of oil, and when too much rich food piles up, the stomach can’t keep pace; you get that stuffed, stagnant feeling, discomfort and a flat appetite. This soup is the old answer: a gentle brew to move things along and give the digestion a rinse.

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.

  • Hawthorn · Randomized controlled trial, 41 participants · 2025
    Skin hydration scores improved more with hawthorn fruit than with placebo (p<0.05). Changes in other skin phenotypes and leukocyte telomere length were similar between groups. Genotype-specific effects were reported.Limitation: Small trial in which 36 completed follow-up; the genotype subgroup analyses are based on very few participants and are exploratory.PubMed 40573097 · 2 more hawthorn studies
  • Red dates · Meta-analysis, 483 participants · 2025
    Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates 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

  • Hawthorn: Can cause dizziness, nausea or digestive upset, and may interact with heart medicines. Little is known about its safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Hawthorn

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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