Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Root Soup: Benefits & Recipe

Introduction to Medicinal Diet

Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Root Soup (莲子百合麦冬汤) is a classic medicinal food soup rooted in ancient health preservation wisdom. Its core ingredients are three substances that are both medicine and food: Nelumbinis semen (lotus seed), Lilii bulbus (lily bulb), and Ophiopogonis radix (ophiopogon root), prepared with a small amount of rock sugar for seasoning. This soup is widely circulated among the folk, especially prevalent in southern regions, where it is often served as a regular family nourishment for clearing and moistening the body during autumn and winter. With a clear broth, a sweet and smooth taste, it can be enjoyed either as a daily beverage or as a dessert soup after meals, and is deeply favored by the elderly, children, and those with weak constitutions.

Lotus seed (Nelumbinis semen), lily bulb (Lilii bulbus), and dwarf lilyturf root (Ophiopogonis radix) are all considered superior medicinals in Traditional Chinese Medicine for nourishing Yin, moistening Dryness, calming the Spirit, and tonifying Qi. When used in combination, they complement each other synergistically—not only enhancing their collective nourishing effects but also harmonizing the medicinal properties, rendering the entire soup balanced in nature and lasting in action. For this reason, the Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Dwarf Lilyturf Root Soup has been passed down through centuries as an indispensable classic formula in TCM食疗 (food therapy). It is especially suitable for modern individuals seeking to moisten Dryness, nourish the Spirit, and regulate both body and mind amidst a fast-paced lifestyle.

Origin and History of Medicinal Food Ingredients

Lotus seed has been honored since ancient times as the “fruit of the spleen” and was listed as a superior herb in the *Shennong Bencao Jing* (Divine Farmer’s Materia Medica). Lily bulb, renowned for “moistening the lung and calming the heart,” has been frequently used by physicians throughout history to address vexation, restlessness, and palpitations due to deficiency. Dwarf lilyturf root is valued for nourishing yin and generating fluids; the *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) explicitly records its functions: “treats binding qi in the heart and abdomen, injury to the middle burner and overeating, interruption of the stomach collateral vessels, emaciation, and shortness of breath.” The earliest documented combination of these three herbs can be traced back to dietary therapy formulas in the *Taiping Shenghui Fang* (Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief) of the Song dynasty. Through continuous refinement by physicians of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, this classic formula has become widely circulated today.

Efficacy of Medicinal Diet

The core efficacy of Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Soup lies in the principle of “clearing and moistening.” This decoction effectively alleviates symptoms such as dry mouth and throat, throat irritation with itchiness, and dry skin, which are triggered by dry climates, late nights with mental strain, or excessive worry. Regular consumption of this soup helps replenish body fluids and promotes saliva production, making it especially suitable for office workers who spend long hours in air-conditioned or heated environments. It significantly improves various signs of “heat” caused by dry air.

Furthermore, this decoction also demonstrates outstanding efficacy in improving sleep quality. For cases of vexation, insomnia, excessive dreaming, easy awakening, and restless sleep due to deficient fire harassing the heart (xū huǒ rǎo xīn) and yin-blood insufficiency (yīn xuè bù zú), the Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Decoction (Liǎn Zǐ Bǎi Hé Mài Dōng Tāng) can serve as an auxiliary regulatory measure by clearing the heart (qīng xīn), eliminating vexation (chú fán), calming the spirit (ān shén), and settling the mind (dìng zhì). Regular and consistent consumption helps to adjust the sleep rhythm, increase the duration of deep sleep, and leave one feeling refreshed and clear-headed the following day.

synergistic mechanism

Synergistic effect of the three.

The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine

From a TCM pattern differentiation perspective, the Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Decoction primarily acts on the Heart (HT), Lung (LU), Spleen (SP), and Kidney (KI) channels. Specifically, Lotus Seed (Nelumbinis semen) is sweet and astringent in flavor, neutral in nature, and enters the Spleen (SP), Kidney (KI), and Heart (HT) channels. It has the effects of supplementing the spleen and stopping diarrhea, benefiting the kidney and securing essence, and nourishing the heart and calming the spirit. Lily Bulb (Lilii bulbus) is sweet and slightly bitter in flavor, slightly cold in nature, and enters the Heart (HT) and Lung (LU) channels. It is adept at nourishing yin and moistening the lung, and clearing the heart and calming the spirit. Ophiopogon (Ophiopogonis radix) is sweet and slightly bitter in flavor, slightly cold in nature, and enters the Heart (HT), Lung (LU), and Stomach (ST) channels. It specializes in nourishing yin and generating fluids, and moistening the lung and clearing the heart. When used in combination, these three herbs effectively nourish the yin of the heart and lung, clear and descend vacuous and floating fire, and settle and stabilize the disturbed spirit.

In the pathological model of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the core pathogenesis of the syndrome addressed by this formula is “Yin deficiency with effulgent fire” or “Qi and Yin deficiency.” When the body’s Yin fluids are depleted and insufficient to counterbalance Yang Qi, a pattern of deficiency fire flaring upward emerges, manifesting as vexation, insomnia, dry mouth, and night sweats. Lianzi Baihe Maidong Tang (Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Decoction) works by enriching Yin fluids and clearing descending deficiency fire, thereby restoring the balance between Yin and Yang and fundamentally improving the aforementioned symptoms. Furthermore, the inclusion of lotus seed (Nelumbinis Semen) also fortifies the spleen and secures the kidney, providing auxiliary regulation for loose stools and poor appetite due to spleen deficiency. This reflects the TCM academic principles of “preventive treatment” and “holistic regulation.”

Target Population

Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Root Soup is especially suitable for individuals with Yin deficiency constitution. This group of people often presents with features such as thin body build, dry skin, dry mouth and nose, dry stool, red tongue with scant coating, and thin and rapid pulse. For urban professionals and mental workers who frequently stay up late, overuse their brains, or experience high work pressure, this soup can effectively alleviate symptoms of Yin deficiency with effulgent fire caused by excessive mental exertion, including dizziness, tinnitus, memory decline, and poor concentration.

Additionally, this soup is suitable for the middle-aged and elderly, menopausal women, and patients with chronic pharyngitis. In middle-aged and elderly individuals, the Liver and Kidneys gradually become depleted and yin fluids naturally decline; regular consumption of this soup helps delay aging and improve sleep. Menopausal women often present with patterns of yin deficiency with effulgent fire; Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Decoction (Lianzi Baihe Maidong Tang) can relieve tidal heat and sweating, vexation, and irritability. Chronic pharyngitis patients, typically with lung yin insufficiency, benefit from this soup to moisten the throat and reduce dry, itchy sensations or the feeling of a foreign body. For children presenting with night sweats, restlessness, or dry, cracked lips, a reduced dose (one-third of the adult amount) may also be taken, but only under the guidance of a practitioner.

Contraindicated Populations

The Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb, and Ophiopogon Decoction (Liánzǐ Bǎihé Màidōng Tāng) is neutral in nature, but it is not suitable for everyone. Those with Spleen-Stomach Vacuity Cold or Middle Burner Dampness Exuberance should use it with caution; such individuals often present with epigastric and abdominal cold pain, preference for warmth and pressure, loose stools, a pale and enlarged tongue with teeth marks, and a white, thick, greasy coating. Both Ophiopogon (Màidōng, Ophiopogon japonicus) and Lily Bulb (Bǎihé, Lilium brownii) are slightly cold in nature. If consumed in large quantities by those with Spleen-Stomach Vacuity Cold, they may aggravate a sensation of cold in the abdomen, leading to diarrhea or indigestion. Therefore, such individuals should use this formula under the guidance of a physician, combining it with warming-middle and drying-dampness herbs such as Ginger (Shēngjiāng, Zingiber officinale) and Tangerine Peel (Chénpí, Citrus reticulata).

Diabetic patients should pay special attention to the amount of rock sugar (bing tang) when consuming this soup. It is recommended to replace rock sugar with natural sweeteners such as erythritol or steviol glycosides, or simply omit sugar to enjoy the soup in its light, original flavor. This soup is also not suitable for those in the early stage of wind-cold common cold (manifested as severe chills, mild fever, nasal congestion with clear thin discharge, cough with thin white sputum) or cold-dampness cough (cough with copious white phlegm, chest tightness and epigastric stuffiness), as it may assist dampness and retain pathogens, hindering the expulsion of the pathogen. Pregnant women should use caution during the first three months of pregnancy and are advised to consult a licensed TCM practitioner before making a decision.

Proportions of food ingredients in a formula

The precise formula for a classic recipe (serves 2-3) is as follows: 20g dried lotus seeds (Nelumbo nucifera), 15g dried lily bulb (Lilium brownii var. viridulum), 10g dwarf lilyturf tuber (Ophiopogon japonicus), 8g rock sugar, and 800ml water. To enhance the spirit-calming effect, you may add 3 pitted jujube dates (Ziziphus jujuba) and 5g dried longan pulp (Dimocarpus longan). For moistening the lungs and stopping cough, combine with 6g sweet apricot kernel (Prunus armeniaca) and 15g dried snow pear (Pyrus bretschneideri). It is best to use fresh-harvest ingredients from the current year. Choose whole, plump lotus seeds free from insect damage and mold. Opt for lily bulbs with large petals, white color, and crispy texture. Select dwarf lilyturf tubers that are plump, yellowish-white, and oily-moist.

This formulation follows the TCM principle of “sovereign, minister, assistant, courier” (君臣佐使): Semen Nelumbinis (Lotus seed) and Bulbus Lilii (Lily bulb) together serve as the sovereign ingredients, with the largest dosage, guiding the entire formula to achieve the core functions of nourishing the heart and calming the spirit, moistening the lungs and enriching yin. Radix Ophiopogonis (Ophiopogon root) acts as the minister, supporting the sovereign to enhance the action of nourishing yin and generating fluids. Rock sugar (Bingtang) serves as the courier, both harmonizing the flavor and moistening the lungs and harmonizing the middle, while regulating the properties of the other ingredients. The overall ratio is gentle and balanced, allowing for long-term consumption without causing deviation, fully embodying the essence of TCM dietary therapy: “medicine and food share the same origin, healing through nourishment.”

Preparation Method

Step 1: Ingredient Preparation. Place dried lotus seeds (Nelumbinis semen) and dried lily bulbs (Lilii bulbus) into two separate bowls. Add sufficient clean water and soak for at least 4 hours (overnight soaking recommended) until fully rehydrated. Rinse dwarf lilyturf root (Ophiopogonis radix) quickly under running water, then soak separately for 30 minutes. After soaking, gently remove the lotus plumule (Nelumbinis plumula) from each lotus seed using a toothpick (skip if already removed). The plumule is bitter in taste and cold in nature; removing it helps the soup achieve a sweeter, more mellow flavor and prevents excessive coldness.

Step 3: Seasoning and finishing. After 40 minutes, gently press the lotus seeds (Nelumbo nucifera) and lily bulbs (Lilium brownii) with a spoon; if they become soft and tender, the soup is ready. At this point, add rock sugar and continue simmering over low heat for another 5 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved. Do not remove the lid immediately after turning off the heat; let the soup rest in the residual warmth for another 5 minutes to allow the medicinal properties to fully integrate. Finally, ladle the soup into bowls and let it cool slightly to a warm temperature (approximately 50–60°C) before drinking. For a richer texture, you can mash some of the lotus seeds into a paste and stir them back into the soup.

Drinking Tips

Tip 1: The optimal time to consume is between 3-5 PM (Shen time) or 1-2 hours before bedtime. During Shen time, Qi and blood flow through the Bladder Meridian (BL), making it ideal for supporting water metabolism and toxin elimination. Consuming before sleep can leverage the decoction’s spirit-calming effect to stabilize emotions and improve sleep quality. A serving of 200-250 ml is recommended, taken 3-4 times per week; daily consumption is unnecessary.

Tip 2: In summer, this soup can be refrigerated and enjoyed as a cooling, refreshing beverage to clear heat, relieve summer heat, promote fluid production, and quench thirst. However, those with weak Spleen and Stomach function are still advised to consume it warm. In autumn and winter, it is best drunk hot; 2-3 slices of fresh Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) can be added during cooking to balance the soup’s slightly cooling nature while enhancing its effect of expelling cold and warming the body. For the summer version, reduce the amount of rock sugar and add a few Peppermint leaves (Mentha haplocalyx Briq.) during cooking to impart a fresh, crisp flavor.

Tip 3: Leftover soup should be poured into a sealed glass jar and stored in the refrigerator. It is recommended to consume within 24 hours, and no more than 48 hours at most. When reheating, bring it to a full boil thoroughly. Do not consume it cold or only heat it briefly in a microwave, as this may cause gastrointestinal discomfort due to bacterial growth. If the soup develops a sour taste, bubbles on the surface, or cloudy sediment, it has spoiled and should be discarded immediately.