Soups

Solomon's Seal and Brain-Tonic Soup (Yu Zhu Yi Zhi Tang)

traditionally associated with calming restlessness and nourishing the mind in children

In short: Solomon's Seal and Brain-Tonic Soup (Yu Zhu Yi Zhi Tang) is a soup that traditionally associated with calming restlessness and nourishing the mind in children. It is most often made for children's wellness, sleep & calm, everyday balance. Total time about 35 min. Key ingredients: solomon's seal rhizome, longan flesh, goji berries, red dates.

Prep
5 min
Cook
30 min
Total
35 min
Makes
600 ml
Solomon's Seal and Brain-Tonic Soup (Yu Zhu Yi Zhi Tang)

Why people make this soup

Children with attention difficulties often settle somewhat as they move through adolescence, but the journey there can be exhausting for the whole family. While food therapy is not a substitute for professional care, many parents in Chinese households use nourishing soups alongside other support to help calm a busy mind and build up a child’s vitality. This soup — combining Solomon’s seal with longan, goji berries, and red dates — is one such gentle recipe. It is thought to benefit children who seem scattered, pale, easily fatigued, or forgetful, and who struggle to settle. For a heartier version, a quail can be added to the pot: quail is known as the “animal ginseng” and is mild enough for virtually any constitution.

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.

  • Goji berries · Meta-analysis, 161 participants · 2012
    Compared with placebo (n=80), the goji juice group (n=81) reported greater improvements in several self-rated symptoms, including stress, mental acuity, sleep quality and overall well-being, under a random effects model.Limitation: Outcomes were self-reported symptom questionnaires, and several symptoms showed significant heterogeneity across the four pooled trials of a single branded juice.PubMed 22897500 · 3 more goji berries 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.

Ingredient notes for this recipe

  • Goji berries: A few cases of raised INR (a bleeding-risk marker) have been reported in people taking warfarin after drinking concentrated goji tea or wine. If you take a blood thinner, check with your doctor. Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering — Lycium

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…