Mung Bean, Tangerine Peel and Poria Soup

Why people make this soup

Mung bean soup is a popular summer wellness drink, traditionally used to clear heat, resolve toxins, drain dampness and ease summer heat. It is also associated with promoting urination, easing puffiness, soothing thirst and the throat, supporting the eyes, blood pressure, gallbladder and stomach. In hot summer weather it is especially popular with people who often work outdoors — Nourilo says a bowl of mung bean soup can help wash away that feeling of summer heat and restlessness.

Some research has suggested that mung beans may have a role in countering small amounts of pesticide toxins and have been studied in relation to lead poisoning and burns. For the sweltering summer, Nourilo recommends this mung bean soup with dried tangerine peel and poria. In traditional food-therapy terms, the combination helps transform phlegm, support the stomach, promote fluid movement and drain dampness, and is often turned to when feeling restless or unsettled.