Soups
Lotus Root, Black Bean and Dried Octopus Soup
traditionally used to nourish liver blood and support healthy hair
In short: Lotus Root, Black Bean and Dried Octopus Soup is a soup that traditionally used to nourish liver blood and support healthy hair. It is most often made for skin & natural beauty, liver wellness, blood nourishment. Total time about 2 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: lotus root, black soybeans, octopus, lean pork.
Why people make this soup
Finding grey hairs in your twenties or thirties can feel unsettling, especially when it seems to be happening faster than it should. In traditional Chinese food therapy, premature greying and hair thinning that are not entirely explained by genetics are often linked to insufficient liver blood — the idea being that the blood that nourishes the hair follicles becomes depleted by overwork, poor sleep, chronic worry or emotional exhaustion. This soup brings together three ingredients with a long history of use in that context: lotus root for cooling and nourishing the blood, black soybeans for their association with kidney and liver support (dark-coloured foods have long been connected with hair health in Chinese tradition), and dried octopus for its rich, nourishing quality and mild sweet flavour that makes it a natural base ingredient in blood-building soups.
Method
- Dry-toast the black soybeans in a wok over medium heat, without any oil, until the skins begin to split and you can smell a faint nutty aroma. Remove from heat and rinse under cold water.
- Peel the lotus root, cut into chunks.
- Blanch the lean pork in boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then rinse and set aside.
- Rinse the dried octopus and red dates.
- Place all ingredients into a clay pot or large soup pot. Add enough water to cover well (approximately 2 litres / 2.4 L).
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Cook for about 2 hours until the soup is fragrant and the ingredients are tender.
- Season lightly with salt if desired and serve.
Nourilo’s Tips
- The step of toasting the black soybeans is important — it prevents the beans from becoming too cold in nature, which can cause stomach discomfort in some people. This preparation also brings out a richer flavour.
- Do not cook this soup in an iron pot. The astringent quality of lotus root reacts with iron and causes the soup to turn an unpleasant grey colour.
- This soup is also traditionally recommended for women after childbirth — it nourishes blood and is associated with supporting milk production.
- For hair health, consistency matters more than frequency. Drinking this soup 2–3 times a week over several weeks is more effective than occasional large quantities.
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.
- Black soybeans
Systolic blood pressure fell more in the black soy peptide group (-9.69 mm Hg) than in the placebo group (-2.91 mm Hg) after baseline adjustment. Plasma malondialdehyde decreased and superoxide dismutase activity increased compared with placebo.Limitation: Used an isolated peptide supplement rather than whole black soybeans, and followed participants for only 8 weeks, so the results may not apply to food intake.PubMed 23924691 - Red dates
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 - Ginger
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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