Mung Bean, Barley, Poria and Licorice Detox Water

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.