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Loofah, Dried Scallop and Peanut Soup

Traditionally used to support lactation and nourish new mothers

In short: Loofah, Dried Scallop and Peanut Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to support lactation and nourish new mothers. It is most often made for women's wellness, everyday balance. Total time about 75 min. Key ingredients: red-skin peanuts, shiitake mushrooms, figs, ginger.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
15 min
Cook
60 min
Total
75 min
Makes
0.9–1.2 L
Women's WellnessEveryday Balance
Loofah, Dried Scallop and Peanut Soup

Why people make this soup

After giving birth, many mothers find their milk supply slow to establish, and traditional Chinese food therapy has long turned to loofah for this purpose. Loofah is rich in B vitamins and is valued for its mild cooling, phlegm-clearing nature, as well as the folk belief that its fibrous interior channels (the luffa sponge network, called “si gua luo”) carry a gentle circulation-supporting quality that may help promote milk flow. Older, more mature loofah is traditionally considered even more beneficial. Combined with peanuts and dried figs — classic galactagogue foods in Cantonese cooking — and protein-rich dried scallops and shiitake mushrooms, the result is a soup that is light, naturally sweet and genuinely pleasant to eat on a warm summer day.

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

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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