Soups

Dried Octopus and Fuzzy Melon Soup

traditionally supports qi, blood nourishment, and healthy fluid balance

In short: Dried Octopus and Fuzzy Melon Soup is a soup that traditionally supports qi, blood nourishment, and healthy fluid balance. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, energy & vitality, everyday balance. Total time about 2 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: carrot, octopus, figs, pork ribs.

Prep
15 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 15 min
Makes
1.2–1.5 L
Dried Octopus and Fuzzy Melon Soup

Why people make this soup

Dried octopus (also known as dried eight-arm squid) has been a staple of Cantonese food-therapy cooking for centuries. Nourilo picked up a couple of beautifully fragrant dried octopuses at a local seafood shop and paired them with mild, cooling fuzzy melon and sweet carrot. The result is a rich, naturally sweet broth that the whole family can enjoy — and which is especially associated in Chinese food-therapy tradition with supporting blood nourishment and a healthy energy (qi) level.

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.

  • Ginger · Meta-analysis, 23 studies · 2022
    Overall, acute and delayed nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between ginger and control groups. A subgroup taking 1 g/day or less for over four days had less acute vomiting (OR 0.30).Limitation: Clinical heterogeneity between trials required subgroup analyses, and the authors state that sufficiently large, high-quality RCTs are still needed.PubMed 36501010 · 3 more ginger 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.

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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