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Wheat Grain, Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb and Ophiopogon Soup

traditionally used to nourish the heart, calm the mind, and ease the restlessness and poor sleep of nervous exhaustion

In short: Wheat Grain, Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb and Ophiopogon Soup is a soup that traditionally used to nourish the heart, calm the mind, and ease the restlessness and poor sleep of nervous exhaustion. It is most often made for heart & circulation, sleep & calm, energy & vitality. Total time about 2 hr 15 min. Key ingredients: lily bulb, ophiopogon tuber.

By · Published under our editorial policy · Research library

Prep
15 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 15 min
Makes
900 ml
Heart & CirculationSleep & CalmEnergy & VitalityEveryday Balance
Wheat Grain, Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb and Ophiopogon Soup

Why people make this soup

Cities breed a particular kind of exhaustion — not the clean tiredness that comes from physical work, but the frayed, wired-yet-depleted feeling that comes from living at high speed for too long. In traditional Chinese food therapy, this state is often associated with heart-yin deficiency: the nourishing, cooling aspect of the heart has been worn thin by anxiety, overwork, or prolonged stress, leaving a low-grade internal heat that disturbs sleep, generates restlessness, and makes the mind difficult to settle. This soup — wheat grain, lotus seeds, lily bulb, and ophiopogon tuber — is one of the most classical remedies for that state. It is gentle, easy to make, and has been used in Chinese households for generations as a nourishing, sleep-supportive grain meal.

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.

  • Lotus seeds · Randomized crossover trial, 10 participants · 2019
    Lotus seed meals had a low glycemic index (GI 21–51 across the lotus seed and adzuki bean meals), while several other starchy foods did not differ significantly from rice. Lotus seed's in vitro hydrolysis index was also lower than that of other test foods.Limitation: Only ten healthy participants and acute single-meal tests, so findings may not apply to people with diabetes or to long-term intake.PubMed 30875961

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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