Three-Bean Sweet Soup (San Dou Tang)

Why people make this soup

Hand-foot-mouth disease spreads easily among young children, particularly those aged 2–5. Common signs include fever, poor appetite, mouth sores, and a rash on the hands and feet. While prevention is mostly about hygiene — thorough handwashing, avoiding crowded spaces when an outbreak is circulating — supportive food therapy has a role to play in keeping young bodies resilient.

Traditional Chinese medicine classifies hand-foot-mouth disease as a “damp-heat” pattern, which points toward food therapy that clears heat, supports the body’s ability to handle “toxins,” and strengthens the spleen (the digestive system). This simple three-bean sweet soup does exactly that — using everyday beans that most households can keep in the pantry.

Nourilo also shares a practical tip for children who are already suffering from mouth sores and refusing to eat: blend the cooked soup into a smooth paste, set it with gelatine powder, and serve it cold as a jelly. Cold, smooth, and sweet — most children will accept it even when swallowing is painful.