Home-Style Dishes

Hemp Seed Paste (Huo Ma Ren Hu)

traditionally used to moisten the intestines, ease constipation, and gently nourish a depleted constitution

In short: Hemp Seed Paste (Huo Ma Ren Hu) is a home-style dishe that traditionally used to moisten the intestines, ease constipation, and gently nourish a depleted constitution. It is most often made for digestive wellness, cleansing & regularity, everyday balance. Total time about 20 min. Key ingredients: honey.

Prep
15 min
Cook
5 min
Total
20 min
Makes
1 serving
Hemp Seed Paste (Huo Ma Ren Hu)

Why people make this paste

In Chinese food therapy, constipation is not one-size-fits-all. There is the “excess heat” type — where eating too many fried or spicy foods dries out the intestines — and there is the “deficiency” type, common in older adults and women after childbirth, where the intestinal fluids are simply depleted and the bowel has lost its natural lubrication. For the deficiency type, harsh laxatives can make things worse. Hemp seeds (huo ma ren), on the other hand, are gentle: rich in oils and mild in flavour, they work by moistening rather than forcefully purging. Nourilo recommends this simple preparation as a practical home remedy for anyone dealing with a sluggish bowel linked to dryness and depletion.

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.

  • Honey · Meta-analysis, 14 studies · 2021
    Compared with usual care, honey was associated with lower combined symptom scores, cough frequency and cough severity. In two pooled placebo-controlled studies, the difference in combined symptoms was not statistically significant.Limitation: Only two studies compared honey with placebo, with high heterogeneity (I2=91%); the review calls for higher-quality placebo-controlled trials.PubMed 32817011 · 3 more honey 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

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…

Spot an error? Report a correction

Comments

Loading comments…