Soups

Fresh Yam, Chestnut and Silkie Chicken Soup

traditionally used to support digestive strength and nourish qi

In short: Fresh Yam, Chestnut and Silkie Chicken Soup is a soup that traditionally used to support digestive strength and nourish qi. It is most often made for digestive wellness, liver wellness, energy & vitality. Total time about 2 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: chinese yam, dendrobium, chestnuts, ginger.

Prep
20 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 20 min
Makes
1.2–1.5 L
Fresh Yam, Chestnut and Silkie Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

When the digestive system is running below par — whether from seasonal cold, stress, or simply low energy — a nourishing yet light soup can do a lot of good. Nourilo put this one together as a way to warm and support the spleen and stomach without the “dry heat” risk that comes with more aggressively warming tonic dishes. Fresh yam brings a gentle sweetness, dendrobium adds cool moisture, and chestnuts lend body and a natural earthy flavour — together they make the soup both pleasant to eat and easy on the gut.

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.

  • Dendrobium · Randomized controlled trial · 2025
    Salivary flow rate and oral mucosal scores improved more in the Dendrobium group than in the control group using vitamin B12 rinse alone (P < .05). Serum IL-10 rose from baseline, and oral bacterial composition differed.Limitation: Small single-hospital sample; the Dendrobium group also used the B12 rinse, and the abstract does not say whether the control group received a placebo drink.PubMed 39811879 · 2 more dendrobium studies
  • Red dates · Meta-analysis, 483 participants · 2025
    Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates studies
  • 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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