Tonic Drinks & Waters
Mung Bean, Barley, Poria and Licorice Detox Water
traditionally associated with clearing heat, supporting liver and kidney function, and easing the burden on the body during periods of toxic load
In short: Mung Bean, Barley, Poria and Licorice Detox Water is a tonic drinks & water that traditionally associated with clearing heat, supporting liver and kidney function, and easing the burden on the body during periods of toxic load. It is most often made for cleansing & regularity, women's wellness, children's wellness. Total time about 70 min. Key ingredients: mung beans, poria, licorice root.
Why people make this drink
Nourilo developed this recipe for a family friend living abroad who was going through chemotherapy and struggling with the side effects: nausea, mouth sores, swollen gums, hair loss, fatigue, and changes to the fingernails. From a traditional Chinese food-therapy perspective, chemotherapy introduces significant toxic burden on the body — particularly on the liver and kidneys, which must process and eliminate the drugs. Signs of toxin accumulation in the liver can appear in the fingernails (black lines along the nail edge), and fatigue may reflect the kidney’s energy being depleted by processing toxins.
This four-ingredient drink is not intended to interfere with any medical treatment — it is meant to gently support the body’s own elimination channels, reduce discomfort, and help the organs that are working overtime to cope. Each ingredient has a specific traditional role, and together they form a time-tested combination.
Method
- Rinse all ingredients briefly; soak the mung beans for 15–20 minutes if time allows.
- Combine all ingredients in a pot with 1.8 L of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour until reduced to about 600 ml.
- Drink the liquid; eating some of the cooked beans and barley is encouraged for greater benefit.
Nourilo’s Tips
The main therapeutic action of mung beans lies in their skin — the green outer coat — so do not substitute with pre-shelled or split mung beans. Mung bean sprouts are also worth incorporating into regular meals, as sprouted mung beans develop additional beneficial compounds. Those who find this drink too cooling can add 1–2 pieces of tangerine peel and 38 g of red beans to warm things up. If bloating is a concern, tangerine peel and red beans will also help address that. For those receiving Western chemotherapy: consuming this during treatment may be fine, but always let your oncologist know what you are taking, as even food-grade herbs can occasionally interact with specific drug protocols.
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.
- Mung beans
Breath hydrogen and methane were higher after wheat than after rice or mung bean noodles. Bloating scores after mung bean did not differ significantly from wheat, and mung bean produced gas levels similar to rice.Limitation: Small sample of 20 patients, with single meals tested rather than habitual intake, so longer-term effects of mung bean on symptoms are unknown.PubMed 31484315 · 1 more mung beans study - Job's tears (coix)
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 - Licorice root
Compared with placebo plus the same low-calorie diet, licorice extract was associated with greater improvements in body weight, BMI, body fat, lipid profile, fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR at 8 weeks.Limitation: Small sample, short 8-week duration, and an extract dose that is not comparable to licorice eaten as food; the authors call for confirmatory research.PubMed 39080737 · 3 more licorice root 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
- Licorice root: Contains glycyrrhizin. Large amounts or long-term use have been linked to raised blood pressure and irregular heartbeat, and even smaller amounts have caused problems in people with high blood pressure, heart or kidney conditions, or a high-salt diet. Large amounts are unsafe in pregnancy, and it can interact with corticosteroids. Source: NIH NCCIH — Licorice Root
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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