Cinnamon Twig, Angelica Root, Ginger & Red Date Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

Research and traditional Chinese medicine both recognise that uterine cold — a pattern in which the reproductive system is chronically under-nourished by warmth and circulation — is associated with fertility difficulties in a significant proportion of women. The classic signs are cold hands and feet, scanty or irregular periods with cramps, a feeling of coldness in the lower abdomen, low energy, and reduced libido. This is not a “cure” for infertility, but it is a well-established food-based approach to warming the body from within — one that many women who combine it with a warming lifestyle (hot foods and drinks, warm baths, reduced cold foods and stress) find genuinely helpful as part of an overall approach.

The key ingredients are gui zhi (cinnamon twig — note: the twig, not the bark) and dang gui (angelica root), paired with ginger and red dates. This is a warming combination with a long track record for menstrual health and cold-constitution recovery.

Method

1. Clean and cut the chicken into pieces; blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain.
2. Pit the red dates. Rinse the cinnamon twig, angelica root, and remaining ingredients.
3. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 8 cups of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until the liquid reduces to about 4 cups.
5. Serve the soup and eat the chicken and dates.

Nourilo’s Tips

Mountain chicken gives a particularly tasty broth but regular chicken or silkie chicken works just as well — silkie is especially good postpartum. If gui zhi is hard to find abroad, dried ginger (gan jiang) can be used as a substitute — it warms the interior strongly. This soup improves blood circulation and is helpful for anyone — male or female — with a chronically cold constitution. Do not take during menstruation: start after the period ends and take 1–2 servings per week for one to two months to assess the effect.