Licorice, Wheat Berry, Poria Cocos, Lily Bulb and Red Date Soup

Why people make this soup

Hong Kong life is busy and high-pressure, and the toll on mental and emotional wellbeing is real. Symptoms like difficulty falling asleep, muscle tension, headaches, irritability, poor memory, anxiety, and unexplained sadness are all too common. This soup is a food-therapy adaptation of Gan Mai Da Zao Tang — one of the oldest classical Chinese herbal formulas, recorded in the Han dynasty text Jingui Yaolue — updated for everyday home use by swapping the decoction format for a nourishing, drinkable soup. In Chinese medicine, this formula is associated with calming the heart, steadying the emotions, and easing what practitioners describe as “restless spirit.” Nourilo particularly recommends it for menopausal women and new mothers who find themselves unexpectedly tearful or emotionally fragile.