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Ginkgo Tofu Skin Job's Tears Sweet Soup

Traditionally used to nourish the lungs, brighten skin, and reduce internal heat

In short: Ginkgo Tofu Skin Job's Tears Sweet Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to nourish the lungs, brighten skin, and reduce internal heat. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, skin & natural beauty, everyday balance. Total time about 70 min. Key ingredients: ginkgo nuts, job's tears (coix), rock sugar.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
10 min
Cook
60 min
Total
70 min
Makes
1.2–1.5 L
Respiratory & Lung WellnessSkin & Natural BeautyEveryday Balance
Ginkgo Tofu Skin Job's Tears Sweet Soup

Why people make this soup

The combination of ginkgo nuts and tofu skin is one of those pairings that Cantonese grandmothers have been making for generations — and for good reason. Together they create a dessert that is at once smooth, subtly sweet, and deeply satisfying, while also being thought to clear internal dryness and nourish the lungs. Adding raw job’s tears (also known as Chinese barley or coix seed) takes this classic in a more skin-focused direction: job’s tears are one of the most widely used ingredients in East Asian beauty food therapy, traditionally associated with improving skin texture, reducing pigmentation, and helping to slow visible skin ageing. Nourilo notes that this is a dessert that does double duty — pleasurable to eat and quietly looking after the body at the same time.

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.

  • Job's tears (coix) · Randomized controlled trial · 2024
    Myeloperoxidase activity rose significantly in the placebo group after 8 weeks but showed no significant change in the adlay tea group. Vascular endothelial function improved in the adlay group, especially in those over 40.Limitation: Participants were healthy adults and the outcomes were surrogate markers, so the results say little about clinical disease outcomes. Tea is a polyphenol-rich extract, not whole grain.PubMed 38945894 · 2 more job's tears (coix) 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.

Ingredient notes for this recipe

  • Ginkgo nuts: Fresh ginkgo seeds are toxic, and serious side effects have occurred after eating roasted seeds. Always cook them thoroughly, keep to the small amount in the recipe, and take extra care when serving children. Source: NIH NCCIH — Ginkgo

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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