Soups

Fresh Dendrobium, Solomon's Seal and Ophiopogon Silkie Chicken Soup

traditionally used to nourish yin, soothe stomach heat, and relieve dry mouth and restlessness

In short: Fresh Dendrobium, Solomon's Seal and Ophiopogon Silkie Chicken Soup is a soup that traditionally used to nourish yin, soothe stomach heat, and relieve dry mouth and restlessness. It is most often made for digestive wellness, sleep & calm, oral & throat comfort. Total time about 2 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: dendrobium, solomon's seal rhizome, ophiopogon root, red dates.

Prep
20 min
Cook
2 hr
Total
2 hr 20 min
Makes
1.2 L
Fresh Dendrobium, Solomon's Seal and Ophiopogon Silkie Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

Fresh dendrobium is a prized ingredient in Cantonese tonic cooking, traditionally regarded as one of the best foods for nourishing the stomach and generating fluids when they have been depleted by internal heat or dryness. When combined with Solomon’s seal and ophiopogon, two other classic yin-nourishing herbs with complementary profiles, the result is a soup that is cool and nourishing without being cold or weakening. It is the kind of soup people reach for when they feel dried out, vaguely restless, or run-down but cannot quite put their finger on why.

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.

  • Dendrobium · Randomized controlled trial · 2025
    Salivary flow rate and oral mucosal scores improved more in the Dendrobium group than in the control group using vitamin B12 rinse alone (P < .05). Serum IL-10 rose from baseline, and oral bacterial composition differed.Limitation: Small single-hospital sample; the Dendrobium group also used the B12 rinse, and the abstract does not say whether the control group received a placebo drink.PubMed 39811879 · 2 more dendrobium studies
  • Red dates · Meta-analysis, 483 participants · 2025
    Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates 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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