Soups
Chinese Yam, Goji, Snow Fungus and Sea Cucumber Soup (Huai-Qi Sea Cucumber Soup)
Traditionally used to nourish and support the body during recovery
In short: Chinese Yam, Goji, Snow Fungus and Sea Cucumber Soup (Huai-Qi Sea Cucumber Soup) is a soup that Traditionally used to nourish and support the body during recovery. It is most often made for energy & vitality, everyday balance. Total time about 3 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: chinese yam, goji berries, snow fungus, tangerine peel.
Why people make this soup
Gelatin-rich foods like sea cucumber, fish maw, snow fungus and black fungus are valued in Chinese food tradition for the polysaccharides they contain, which cooks associate with supporting the body. As an everyday nourishing dish, sea cucumber and snow fungus are double-boiled with Chinese yam and goji berries — a combination traditionally regarded as nourishing yin, supporting the kidneys and strengthening the spleen and qi. It’s a gentle, fortifying soup the whole family can share, and a classic choice for those recovering from illness or surgery.
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.
- Goji berries
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 - Snow fungus
The Tremella fuciformis groups showed greater improvements than placebo in subjective memory complaint scores, short-term memory and executive function tests. Adverse event frequency was similar across high-dose, low-dose and placebo groups.Limitation: Small sample with only 15 people in the placebo group and a short 8-week duration; the brain imaging findings were exploratory.PubMed 29319408 - Tangerine peel
The tangerine peel drink group showed significant reductions in body weight and triglycerides after the intervention compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Safety markers showed no adverse effects. Gut microbiota and serum metabolite profiles also differed.Limitation: Small pilot trial with only 55 of 72 participants completing. The fermented product is not the same as plain tangerine peel, and the control group is not described.PubMed 40225325
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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