Soups

Notoginseng, Salvia, Black Bean and Fig Soup

Traditionally used to support circulation and healthy blood vessels

In short: Notoginseng, Salvia, Black Bean and Fig Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to support circulation and healthy blood vessels. It is most often made for heart & circulation. Total time about 1 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: figs.

Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr
Total
1 hr 15 min
Makes
1.2 L
Notoginseng, Salvia, Black Bean and Fig Soup

Why people make this soup

A friend brought Nourilo a bag of raw notoginseng from a trip to the mainland — plump, earthy-yellow roots that, when sliced, show a faint chrysanthemum-like pattern and a lovely fragrance. Notoginseng is traditionally valued for invigorating and nourishing the blood and for supporting microcirculation. While getting the roots sliced at the herb shop, he also picked up some salvia, another classic “blood-vessel sweeper” traditionally used to improve blood flow and keep vessels supple. Paired with green-kernel black soybean and figs, this bowl is traditionally turned to by those with qi-and-blood weakness, kidney depletion, or heart-and-circulation concerns.

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.

  • Black soybeans · Randomized controlled trial, 100 participants · 2013
    Systolic blood pressure fell more in the black soy peptide group (-9.69 mm Hg) than in the placebo group (-2.91 mm Hg) after baseline adjustment. Plasma malondialdehyde decreased and superoxide dismutase activity increased compared with placebo.Limitation: Used an isolated peptide supplement rather than whole black soybeans, and followed participants for only 8 weeks, so the results may not apply to food intake.PubMed 23924691

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

  • Ginseng: May interfere with blood clotting, might lower blood sugar and may worsen autoimmune conditions. Some experts advise against it for children and during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Source: NIH NCCIH — Asian Ginseng

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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