Soups

Shiitake, Water Chestnut and Chicken Feet Soup

Traditionally moistens and nourishes yin, whets the appetite and generates fluids

In short: Shiitake, Water Chestnut and Chicken Feet Soup is a soup that Traditionally moistens and nourishes yin, whets the appetite and generates fluids. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, digestive wellness, energy & vitality. Total time about 2 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: chicken feet, shiitake mushrooms, water chestnut, ginger.

Prep
15 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 15 min
Makes
0.9–1.2 L
Shiitake, Water Chestnut and Chicken Feet Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo picked up a few packs of dried shiitake at the food expo and was pleasantly surprised — fragrant, smooth and tastier than expected, lovely in soup or stir-fried. He turned them into this soup, traditionally used to gently moisten and nourish yin, whet the appetite and generate fluids. It’s a comforting bowl for the dry days of autumn, when the mouth, nose and throat feel parched.

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.

  • Shiitake mushrooms · Randomized controlled trial · 2015
    Daily shiitake intake was associated with increased ex vivo proliferation of γδ-T and NK-T cells, higher salivary sIgA and lower serum CRP, along with changes in cytokine patterns. The comparison was before versus after intake in two dose groups.Limitation: Parallel 5 g and 10 g dose groups with no placebo or non-mushroom control. Short 4-week study in healthy young adults, with mostly ex vivo immune markers.PubMed 25866155 · 2 more shiitake mushrooms 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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