Soups
Soybean Sprout, Carrot and Dried Oyster Lean Pork Soup
traditionally taken to support the body through menopause
Why people make this soup
Around 45, women enter menopause; men reach their own version 5–10 years later. As hormone levels fall, both can feel hot flushes, night sweats, sleeplessness and anxiety, and bone can thin. Bro Niu’s answer is to eat well — plenty of calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and vitamin D. As soybeans sprout, enzymes release more of these minerals, so soybean sprouts make a fine food-therapy base. Carrot supports the eyes and adds antioxidants, while dried oyster traditionally nourishes the qi and blood of both men and women.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits men and women, young and old; supports vitality and brain power. Also good for those who eat a lot of spicy food or stay up late and run “hot”.
- Those with a cold, weak spleen and stomach should not take it often. Omit the dried oyster if allergic to shellfish (white fungus can replace it).
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Soybean sprouts (da dou ya cai): Sprouting releases more calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc plus vitamin C, B2, carotene and folate — a nutrient-dense midlife food.
- Carrot (gan sun): Traditionally used to brighten the eyes and support healthy aging.
- Dried oyster (hao chi): Traditionally used to nourish the qi and blood of both men and women.
- Dried tangerine peel (chen pi): Adds fragrance and helps regulate qi.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Soybean sprouts | ~300 g (half a catty) | Roots on, washed |
| Carrot | 1 | Peeled, chunked |
| Dried oysters | 6 | Soaked and rinsed |
| Dried tangerine peel | 1 piece | Soaked and rinsed |
| Lean pork | ~300 g | Blanched |
Method
- Wash the soybean sprouts (keep the roots on). Peel and chunk the carrot; soak and rinse the tangerine peel and dried oysters; blanch them together with the cut pork.
- Put everything into a pot with 8 bowls of water and simmer for 2 hours, reducing to about 4 bowls. Serve the soup with the ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
Fragrant and tasty, this soup supports healthy aging and brain power, so it suits everyone — young and old, men and women. It is also good for those who run “hot” from spicy food or late nights, but those with a cold, weak spleen and stomach should not take it often.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Ming): I’m allergic to shellfish — what can replace the dried oyster? Bro Niu: Leave out the dried oyster; white fungus (xue er) can replace it, with a gentle yin-nourishing, lung-moistening effect.
- Q (KK): I’ve heard dendrobium can ease menopausal hot flushes — is that true, and will such foods affect a uterine fibroid? Bro Niu: Dendrobium, lycium root bark (di gu pi) and mulberry (sang shen zi) can all help ease menopausal hot flushes. Use about 11 g of each, simmered as a tea, 3 batches a week for a month, and see if it improves. It will not affect a uterine fibroid.
- Q (Sandy): I have menopausal symptoms — hot flushes and sweats, night sweats, tinnitus, hair loss, joint aches. Any way to improve them? Bro Niu: Try a soup of astragalus (~11 g), black soybean (~38 g), floating wheat (~19 g), mulberry (~19 g), mistletoe (~19 g) and 6 red or black dates; simmer 8 bowls of water down to 4 — enough for 2 days, 2 batches a week, for a month. Avoid strong tea, coffee and spicy fried food.
Published September 22, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
