Soups
Wheat, Black Bean, Mulberry and Lotus-Seed Calming Soup
Traditionally used to settle the mind and support restful sleep
Why people make this soup
Sleeplessness is one of the most common city complaints — some can’t fall asleep, some wake easily, some stay in a light doze all night and startle at the faintest sound, some wake and can’t drift off again, often with a fluttering heart. This “wheat, black bean and mulberry calming soup” is traditionally enjoyed to support all kinds of restless sleep. For those who overuse their minds, poor sleep is often part of a wider nervous-exhaustion picture — vivid dreams, daytime fatigue, irritability, foggy thinking, forgetfulness — and they too may enjoy this soup.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People who lie awake, wake easily or sleep lightly, and those who feel mentally run-down, irritable or forgetful.
- Gentle enough for regular use; pair thoughtfully with your own routine.
- If insomnia is persistent or comes with significant distress, please see a doctor.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Wheat berries (xiao mai mi): Traditionally used to nourish the heart and settle the mind.
- Black beans (qing ren hei dou): Valued to nourish the kidney and the blood.
- Black mulberry (hei sang shen): Traditionally used to nourish liver and kidney and replenish the blood.
- Lotus seed & lily bulb (lian zi, bai he): Associated with easing the heart and supporting restful sleep.
- Schisandra (wu wei zi): Traditionally used to support a steadier nervous system and ease nervous exhaustion.
Ingredients (4 bowls / 1 pot)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wheat berries | ~38 g | Soak, rinse |
| Black beans | ~38 g | Soak, rinse |
| Dried black mulberries | ~19 g | Rinse |
| Lotus seeds | ~19 g | Rinse |
| Lily bulb | ~19 g | Rinse |
| Black dates | 5–7 | |
| Schisandra berries | ~11 g | Rinse |
Method
- Soak and rinse the ingredients separately.
- Cook everything in 8 bowls of water for about 1.5 hours down to 4 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
Schisandra is widely used these days to support those with nervous exhaustion. The black dates shown here are small, but small or large the effect is similar — just use a few more if they’re small.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (reader): Is this soup suitable for sleeplessness from yin-deficiency with rising heat? Bro Niu: Yes, those with yin-deficiency and rising heat can drink this soup.
- Q (Jessica): Can mothers who’ve just given birth drink this tea? And can people with eczema drink it? Bro Niu: It’s gentle enough for new mothers and is fine during pregnancy too. For those with eczema, add fu ling 5 qian to help drain damp — good for the skin and calming.
- Q (Yee Ting): My 8-year-old sweats easily with the slightest activity and tires especially fast — what’s good to eat or drink? Bro Niu: Easy sweating in children points to qi-deficiency. Cook fu xiao mai 5 qian, bei qi 3 slices and 6 red dates in 5 bowls of water down to 2; take 3–4 doses to help ease the sweating.
Published April 9, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
