Soups

Watercress Monk-Fruit Snakehead Soup

Traditionally used to clear heat, soothe the throat and ease phlegm

In short: Watercress Monk-Fruit Snakehead Soup is a soup that Traditionally used to clear heat, soothe the throat and ease phlegm. It is most often made for respiratory & lung wellness, cleansing & regularity, cooling & summer heat. Total time about 1 hr 50 min. Key ingredients: golden monk fruit, ginger, honey dates.

Prep
20 min
Cook
1 hr 30 min
Total
1 hr 50 min
Makes
1.2 L
Watercress Monk-Fruit Snakehead Soup

Why people make this soup

Marsh yellowcress (tang ge cai) is a medicinal green traditionally valued to calm a cough and loosen phlegm, available at Chinese or Asian grocers when in season. Simmered with snakehead fish it makes a clear, gently sweet broth; toss in a golden monk fruit and it turns into the soup Nourilo reaches for when throats feel hot and scratchy or gums are tender. Easy, soothing, and family-friendly.

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.

  • Golden monk fruit · Systematic review, 5 studies · 2025
    Across five randomized trials, monk fruit extract was associated with 10-18% lower postprandial glucose and 12-22% lower insulin responses. No severe adverse effects were observed.Limitation: Only five trials were included, and the authors state that long-term clinical trials are needed to confirm safety and efficacy.PubMed 40362742 · 2 more golden monk fruit 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

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…

Spot an error? Report a correction

Comments

Loading comments…