Nourilo

Soups

Mixed Bean and Peanut Sweet Soup

Traditionally enjoyed to support people with low platelet counts

In short: Mixed Bean and Peanut Sweet Soup is a soup that Traditionally enjoyed to support people with low platelet counts. It is most often made for blood nourishment. Total time about 2 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: peanuts, aged tangerine peel, red dates, rock sugar.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
15 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 15 min
Makes
1.2–1.5 L
Blood Nourishment
Mixed Bean and Peanut Sweet Soup

Why people make this soup

A cheerful mix of coloured beans — the everyday mung, red and black-eyed beans, plus kidney beans, and the newer big white beans, butter beans and Yunnan chicken-pod beans — makes for a soup that is as nourishing as it is eye-catching. Beans are rich in protein, B vitamins, minerals and trace elements. There is an old Chinese idea that “the five colours feed the five organs,” so eating beans of different colours every day is traditionally thought to be good for you. Add peanuts, and it becomes Nourilo’s favourite gentle soup for people whose platelets run low.

Method

  1. Soak and rinse the beans, peanuts and tangerine peel. Pit the red dates.
  2. Put everything in a pot with 2.4 L of water and simmer for about 2 hours until reduced to 1.2–1.5 L.
  3. Stir in rock sugar until dissolved, then serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

Beans tend to cause wind, so the aged tangerine peel is cooked in to help. This soup works well either sweet or savoury.

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.

  • Adzuki beans · Randomized crossover trial, 10 participants · 2019
    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 · Randomized controlled trial, 72 participants · 2025
    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
  • 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

Spot an error? Report a correction

Frequently asked questions

Who is this sweet soup traditionally made for?

This soup is traditionally enjoyed by people whose platelets run low, and it also works as a wholesome family dessert. The recipe uses gentle, everyday ingredients that suit most family members.

What role does the aged tangerine peel play in this recipe?

Beans tend to cause wind, so aged tangerine peel is cooked in to help with that. Two small pieces are simmered together with the beans and peanuts for the full two hours.

Why does the recipe call for beans of different colours?

There is an old Chinese idea that "the five colours feed the five organs," so eating beans of different colours every day is traditionally thought to be good for you. The mix here includes mung, red, black-eyed, kidney, white, butter, and Yunnan chicken-pod beans.

How long does this soup take to make, and how much does it yield?

Preparation takes about 15 minutes, followed by roughly 2 hours of simmering, for a total time of about 2 hours 15 minutes. The finished soup yields approximately 1.2 to 1.5 litres.

Can this soup be served savoury instead of sweet?

Yes. The recipe notes that this soup works well either sweet or savoury. Rock sugar is added to taste, so you can simply omit it if you prefer a savoury version.

You might also like

Related recipes

More soups →

Comments

Loading comments…