Soups

Winter Melon, Hyacinth Bean and Frog Soup

traditionally associated with draining excess water, relieving puffiness, and supporting healthy blood sugar levels

In short: Winter Melon, Hyacinth Bean and Frog Soup is a soup that traditionally associated with draining excess water, relieving puffiness, and supporting healthy blood sugar levels. It is most often made for digestive wellness, blood sugar balance. Total time about 135 min. Key ingredients: hyacinth beans / flat beans, ginger.

Prep
15 min
Cook
120 min
Total
135 min
Makes
1.2 L
Winter Melon, Hyacinth Bean and Frog Soup

Why people make this soup

Mild water retention is more common than many people realise, and it is not always a sign of a serious underlying illness. A diet that is too salty, a sedentary lifestyle, hormonal shifts during the menstrual cycle, or even a spell of hot weather can all cause the body to hold on to extra fluid. Mini winter melon — with its thick, crisp flesh — is one of the best seasonal ingredients for addressing this. Paired with hyacinth beans to support digestive function, and frog (a traditional Cantonese ingredient valued for nourishing vitality), the result is a soup that is clean-tasting, refreshing in hot weather, and gently supports the body’s natural drainage. Even people with a generally weaker constitution can enjoy it.

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.

  • 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

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