Soups
Fresh Lotus Leaf, Adzuki Bean, Job's Tears & Winter Melon Soup
traditionally used to clear summer heat, drain dampness, reduce water retention, and strengthen the spleen
In short: Fresh Lotus Leaf, Adzuki Bean, Job's Tears & Winter Melon Soup is a soup that traditionally used to clear summer heat, drain dampness, reduce water retention, and strengthen the spleen. It is most often made for digestive wellness, cooling & summer heat, kidney & urinary wellness. Total time about 105 min. Key ingredients: lotus leaf, adzuki beans, hyacinth beans / flat beans, job's tears (coix).
Why people make this soup
The Great Heat (da shu) solar period arrives in late July, bringing the most intense heat of the Chinese calendar. Working or exercising outdoors carries a real risk of heat exhaustion — warning signs include sudden intense thirst, fatigue, nausea, and dizziness. At home, the typical response in Cantonese households is to cook a pot of winter melon soup. But this version goes further, adding fresh lotus leaf (whose cooling and dampness-draining properties are particularly valuable in humid subtropical summers), adzuki beans, flat beans, and Job’s tears. Together, these ingredients address not just the heat, but also what Chinese medicine calls “dampness” — the heavy, sluggish, waterlogged feeling that comes with humid weather. What is notable about this soup is that despite its cooling ingredients, it is considered gentle enough even for those with a cold constitution. The spleen-strengthening action of the beans and grains means it won’t leave you feeling depleted.
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.
- Adzuki beans
Adzuki bean meals had a low glycemic index (21–51 range reported with lotus seed), whereas other starchy foods did not differ significantly from rice. Adzuki bean hydrolysis index was lower than other test foods.Limitation: Only ten healthy participants and acute single-meal responses, so effects in people with diabetes or with regular intake are unknown.PubMed 30875961 · 1 more adzuki beans study - Job's tears (coix)
Myeloperoxidase activity rose significantly in the placebo group after 8 weeks but showed no significant change in the adlay tea group. Vascular endothelial function improved in the adlay group, especially in those over 40.Limitation: Participants were healthy adults and the outcomes were surrogate markers, so the results say little about clinical disease outcomes. Tea is a polyphenol-rich extract, not whole grain.PubMed 38945894 · 2 more job's tears (coix) 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
Members only
Unlock the full method & Nourilo's tips
One payment, lifetime access to every one of our 2,344 recipes — step-by-step methods, preparation tips and serving notes.
- Full step-by-step method for this and all 2,344 recipes
- Nourilo's Tips — sourcing, substitutions and serving notes
- One-time payment · card, Apple Pay or Google Pay · no subscription, no renewals
Checking your access…
$59.99 one-time · all recipes
Sign in or create a free account, then pay once by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Continue with GoogleBy continuing with Google or email you confirm you are 16 or older and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
$59.99 one-time · all recipes
Signed in as ·
Secure checkout by Stripe. One-time payment, no renewals. Access is linked to your Nourilo account and never expires. By paying you agree to our Terms of Use; you can get a full refund within 14 days (refund policy).
Comments
Join the conversation — sign in or create a free account to comment.
Continue with GoogleBy continuing with Google or email you confirm you are 16 or older and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Loading comments…