Soups
Kudzu, Adzuki Bean and Job's-Tears Soup
Traditionally eases neck and shoulder tightness and clears damp
In short: Kudzu, Adzuki Bean and Job's-Tears Soup is a soup that Traditionally eases neck and shoulder tightness and clears damp. It is most often made for cooling & summer heat, bone & joint wellness. Total time about 2 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: kudzu root, adzuki beans, honey dates, tangerine peel.
Why people make this soup
When the weather turns cold and damp, Nourilo says older folks often feel a sore back and stiff limbs, while younger ones glued to a computer with little movement get tight, achy necks and shoulders — both, in his view, tied to too much damp. Kudzu root is traditionally used to ease tight neck and shoulder muscles and is also considered beneficial for those minding blood pressure and blood sugar, so he likes to cook with it in this season, pairing it with adzuki bean and job’s-tears to support the spleen and clear damp.
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.
- Kudzu root
The kudzu group reduced intake from 3.0 to 1.9 beers after treatment, while the placebo group rose from 2.7 to 3.4. Kudzu-treated participants also drank more slowly.Limitation: Very small sample (10 per group) with a single dose in a laboratory setting, so results may not carry over to everyday drinking.PubMed 26048637 · 2 more kudzu root studies - Adzuki beans
Adzuki bean meals had a low glycemic index (21–51 range reported with lotus seed), whereas other starchy foods did not differ significantly from rice. Adzuki bean hydrolysis index was lower than other test foods.Limitation: Only ten healthy participants and acute single-meal responses, so effects in people with diabetes or with regular intake are unknown.PubMed 30875961 · 1 more adzuki beans study - 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.
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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