Deliciously Effective: Chicken Soup That Naturally Replenishes Energy and Reduces Night Sweats
Looking for a gentle way to address nocturnal emissions and fatigue, especially if you often feel tired, experience palpitations, or find yourself sweating at night? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers nourishing, time-tested recipes that can promote balance and strength from within. Today, we’ll explore two powerful herbal chicken soup recipes using Poria and Lotus Heart with specific benefits for people dealing with spleen deficiency and related symptoms like spontaneous sweating, dizziness, or nighttime emissions.
1. Poria & Atractylodes Steamed Chicken: Gently Strengthens the Spleen and Clears Dampness
Ingredients:- 200 g aged hen (free-range preferred)
- 6 g Atractylodes (Baizhu)
- 6 g Poria (Fuling)
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 3 ml yellow cooking wine
- Clear chicken broth (as needed)
- Salt to taste Instructions:
Cut the chicken into chunks and blanch it in boiling water to remove any blood. Rinse clean. Place the chicken in a ceramic bowl along with the rinsed herbs, ginger, yellow wine, and enough chicken broth to cover. Cover tightly with food-safe plastic wrap and seal with a kitchen rubber band. Steam in a steamer or steam oven for 3 hours. Add salt to taste before serving. Why it works:
This soup merges protein-rich chicken with key herbs known in TCM for boosting qi and reducing dampness. Atractylodes improves energy levels and helps dry internal humidity linked to digestive weakness. Poria is widely used for calming the mind and improving water metabolism. Modern research shows that Atractylodes may support adrenal health and liver function, while also enhancing immune responses (PMID: [8529123](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8529123/)). If you show signs of heavy dampness or loose stools, you can increase both herbs to 15–30 g under guidance. Safety Tip: Ensure Poria is properly sourced and prepared. If using raw herbal forms, consult with a licensed TCM practitioner. Best for: This dish is especially suitable for those feeling depleted, weak after illness, with symptoms including fatigue, palpitations, insomnia, water retention, or frequent sweating.
2. Lotus Heart & Hyacinth Bean Chicken: Recharges Your Spirit and Stabilizes Core Energy
Ingredients:- 5 g Lotus Heart (Lian Xin)
- 15 g White Hyacinth Bean (Bai Bian Dou)
- 150 g aged hen, roughly chopped
- 2 slices ginger
- 3 ml yellow rice wine
- Clear chicken broth & chicken extract for flavor
- Salt to taste Instructions:
Blanch the chicken cubes in boiling water and rinse. Place into a heat-safe bowl with pre-washed herbs, ginger, broth, and wine. Cover with plastic wrap, seal, and steam for 2.5 hours. After cooking, add chicken extract and salt. Why it works:
This thoughtfully combined herbal soup supports qi (energy) and stabilizes the kidney essence—a core concept in TCM relevant to men’s health and nighttime energy leaks. The Lotus Heart calms the mind and harmonizes heart-kidney connections, helping reduce poor sleep and nervous tension. The white hyacinth bean enhances digestion and helps clear summer-induced fatigue, known as "heat-damp" syndrome (PMID: [27834795](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27834795/)). Important herbal note: “Lotus Heart” refers to the green shoot inside the lotus seed. If your prescription reads “Lotus Heart,” it means the internal sprout, focusing on calming effects. If using the full “Lotus Meat”—the seed minus the sprout—it provides more tonifying and astringent properties, especially useful for diarrhea or nocturnal emission. Use based on your specific health situation. Best for: Those recovering from illness, experiencing dull digestion or summer fatigue. If using lotus seed meat, especially good for men with weak spleen issues, diarrhea, or sexual energy leakage. If using lotus sprout, it suits people with poor sleep, thirst, or heart unrest.
