Soups

Lion's Mane, Shiitake & Dried Oyster Soup

Traditionally associated with strengthening the spleen, supporting stomach health, and nourishing qi and blood

In short: Lion's Mane, Shiitake & Dried Oyster Soup is a soup that Traditionally associated with strengthening the spleen, supporting stomach health, and nourishing qi and blood. It is most often made for digestive wellness, energy & vitality, blood nourishment. Total time about 3 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: lion's mane mushroom, shiitake mushrooms, soybeans, oysters.

Prep
20 min
Cook
3 hr
Total
3 hr 20 min
Makes
1.2 L
Lion's Mane, Shiitake & Dried Oyster Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo’s inspiration for this soup came from a friend returning from Yunnan with a box of wild lion’s mane mushrooms — but when he cooked them, they had a noticeable bitter edge that his usual lion’s mane did not. The lesson: wild-harvested mushrooms bought through tourist channels often differ significantly in quality and taste from the reliable cultivated varieties used in Chinese food medicine. The flavour of this soup, when made with good-quality ingredients, is genuinely delicious — savory, fragrant, and deeply satisfying.

The combination of lion’s mane (a mushroom with a centuries-long reputation for supporting stomach health), shiitake (an immune-supporting culinary staple), soybeans (rich in plant proteins and phytoestrogens), and dried oysters (a natural source of zinc, taurine, and minerals traditionally associated with liver and blood nourishment) creates a broth that hits many wellness notes at once. It is a favourite recommendation of Nourilo for menopausal women and older adults with a weakened digestive system.

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.

  • Shiitake mushrooms · Randomized controlled trial · 2015
    Daily shiitake intake was associated with increased ex vivo proliferation of γδ-T and NK-T cells, higher salivary sIgA and lower serum CRP, along with changes in cytokine patterns. The comparison was before versus after intake in two dose groups.Limitation: Parallel 5 g and 10 g dose groups with no placebo or non-mushroom control. Short 4-week study in healthy young adults, with mostly ex vivo immune markers.PubMed 25866155 · 2 more shiitake mushrooms studies
  • Ginger · Meta-analysis, 23 studies · 2022
    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
  • 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.

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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