Balanced 5 Element Ramen Soup with Balance Blend

January, 30 2024 | by ANNALIISA KAPP

Enjoy this recipe from our friend Annaliisa Kapp (@annaliisakapp), a Certified Holistic Nutritionist who helps ambitious women reverse the effects of stress through nutrition and self care so they can get their energy back! You can learn more about Annaliisa on her website HERE!

This delicious soup recipe was carefully crafted to embody the five essential flavors of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dietary therapy to help you feel in alignment & energized!

In TCM we help to bring the body back into balance by using certain flavours and energetics of foods, which are associated with different organ systems and elements.

Here are the benefits of the ingredients in this recipe:

• Sweet/Earth (Sesame Oil, Yellow Onion, Gluten-Free Ramen Noodles – Brown Rice and Millet:): Warming, promoting a harmonious digestion, calming the mind
• Pungent/Lung (Garlic, Shiitake, Ginger): Disperses stagnant Qi, invigorating circulation & warming to the body
• Salty/Water (Miso): Nourishes the kidneys, Yin & aids digestion.
• Sour/Wood (Lime): Cools heat, benefits the liver & digestion
• Bitter/Fire (Reishi Mushroom, Kale): Supports the heart, aids digestion, calms Shen (spirit), Tonifies Wei Qi (immune health)

Balance 4 Mushroom Blend (Reishi, Lion’s Mane, Shiitake, Maitake) offers a warming and balancing quality to the nervous, digestive, and immune systems. It supports calming a scattered or overwhelmed mindand plus promotes restful sleep.

Experience a delicious and harmonizing end to your day with the Balanced Ramen Soup enriched with the Eversio Wellness Balance 4 Mushroom Blend. 

Reishi for Improved Sleep and Digestive Health

Including Reishi mushrooms in this blend is crucial for improving sleep quality. Famous for its calming effects, Reishi mushrooms aid in achieving peaceful sleep and overall well-being. Reishi enhances the production of sleep-inducing neurotransmitters and benefits the gut microbiome [1].

Reishi mushrooms are significant for their effect on the gut-brain axis [2]. Studies show that Reishi mushrooms extend total sleep time and deepen non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, leading to more restful sleep cycles [1,2]. They also regulate cytokines like TNF-alpha, which support NREM sleep and reduce stress by improving sleep quality [1,2].

Reishi's polysaccharides, especially beta-glucans, have caught the attention of researchers for their prebiotic properties, fostering a balanced gut microbiome and reducing harmful bacteria [3].

This balance is vital for numerous bodily functions, including nutrient absorption, lipid metabolism, mucosal immunity, and immune system development. Disruption in this balance can lead to nutritional deficits, digestive issues, irregular bowel movements, bacterial overgrowth, and more. Furthermore, these polysaccharides can modulate inflammatory markers, thereby reducing inflammation, enhancing immune function, and potentially lowering colon cancer risk [3].

Lion’s Mane for Enhanced Brain Function and Memory

Lion's Mane mushroom, another integral part of the Balance Blend, is renowned for its brain health benefits. It contains hericenones and erinacines, critical to neurogenesis and mental acuity, especially in memory preservation [4].

Research indicates these compounds can reverse memory decline by promoting cell growth in the hippocampus [4]. Lion’s Mane boosts nerve growth factor (NGF) production, crucial for nerve cell health and cognitive functions [5,6].

Maitake and Shiitake: Antioxidant Powerhouses

The Balance Blend also includes Maitake and Shiitake mushrooms, both known for their strong antioxidant properties. They contain ergothioneine, a powerful antioxidant essential for cellular health and combating various health issues [7]. Oxidative stress contributes to many diseases, including heart disease and diabetes [7].

Recent studies reveal that Maitake-derived polysaccharides, particularly GFP-N, significantly influence gut microbiota, especially in diabetic conditions [8]. A study using SMRT technology showed that GFP-N enhanced the presence of beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacteroides acidifaciens [8]. These bacteria are linked to slowing diabetes progression and addressing metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes.

Human clinical trials on Shiitake mushrooms involving 52 healthy adults aged 21-41 over four weeks [9] showed several positive effects. Shiitake consumption increases the activity of γδ-T and NK-T cells, which is critical for immune response [9]. These cells showed improved responsiveness, indicating enhanced immune function.

Additionally, the study found increased secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels in saliva, signifying stronger gut immunity [9]. Shiitake consumption also correlated with lower C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, a marker of inflammation, suggesting that immune enhancements occurred in a less inflammatory environment.

  

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp Sesame Oil 

2-3 Garlic (cloves, minced) 

2 cups Shiitake Mushrooms (tough stems removed, sliced) 

1 Yellow Onion (diced) 

4 cups Kale (sliced thinly) 

2 cups Edamame Beans (warmed) 

2 tsp Balanced Blend of Functional Mushrooms by Eversio Wellness 

6 cups Vegetable Broth 

1/4 cup Water 

4 tsp Miso Paste 

13 ozs Gluten-Free Ramen Noodles (dry) 

 

Toppings: 

4 stalks Green Onion (sliced) 

2 tsp Black Sesame Seeds 

Chili Peppers to taste 

½ lime, sliced 

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat sesame oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook onions and mushrooms for 6-7 min, then add garlic until fragrant.

2. Add kale with ¼ cup of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover & simmer for 2-3 min. Mix in the Balance Mushroom blend.

3. Cook noodles according to directions & heat up your broth.

4. Just before serving, stir the miso paste into the broth in your serving bowl. Divide the noodles, edamame & vegetable mix into bowls. Garnish with the green onions, chilli peppers, sesame seeds, and lime. Enjoy! 

Makes 4 servings.

 

References

[1] Yao C, Wang Z, Jiang H, Yan R, Huang Q, Wang Y, Xie H, Zou Y, Yu Y, Lv L. Ganoderma lucidum promotes sleep through a gut microbiota-dependent and serotonin-involved pathway in mice. Sci Rep. 2021 Jul 1;11(1):13660. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-92913-6. PMID: 34211003; PMCID: PMC8249598.

[2] Cui XY, Cui SY, Zhang J, Wang ZJ, Yu B, Sheng ZF, Zhang XQ, Zhang YH. Extract of Ganoderma lucidum prolongs sleep time in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 Feb 15;139(3):796-800. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.12.020. Epub 2011 Dec 21. PMID: 22207209.

[3] Xie, J. L., Liu, Y. X., Chen, B. H., Zhang, G. W., Ou, S. Y., Luo, J. M., et al. (2019). Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide improves rat DSS-induced colitis by altering cecal microbiota and gene expression of colonic epithelial cells. Food Nutr. Res. 63, 1559. doi:10.29219/fnr.v63.1559

[4] Ratto D, Corana F, Mannucci B, Priori EC, Cobelli F, Roda E, Ferrari B, Occhinegro A, Di Iorio C, De Luca F, Cesaroni V, Girometta C, Bottone MG, Savino E, Kawagishi H, Rossi P. Hericium erinaceus Improves Recognition Memory and Induces Hippocampal and Cerebellar Neurogenesis in Frail Mice during Aging.Nutrients. 2019 Mar 27;11(4):715. doi: 10.3390/nu11040715. PMID: 30934760; PMCID: PMC6521003.

[5] Ryu SH, Hong SM, Khan Z, Lee SK, Vishwanath M, Turk A, Yeon SW, Jo YH, Lee DH, Lee JK, Hwang BY, Jung JK, Kim SY, Lee MK. Neurotrophic isoindolinones from the fruiting bodies of Hericium erinaceus. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2021 Jan 1;31:127714. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2020.127714. Epub 2020 Nov 25. PMID: 33246107.

[6] Conner JM, Franks KM, Titterness AK, Russell K, Merrill DA, Christie BR, Sejnowski TJ, Tuszynski MH. NGF is essential for hippocampal plasticity and learning. J Neurosci. 2009 Sep 2;29(35):10883-9. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2594-09.2009. PMID: 19726646; PMCID: PMC2765804.

[7] Fu TT, Shen L. Ergothioneine as a Natural Antioxidant Against Oxidative Stress-Related Diseases. Front Pharmacol. 2022 Mar 18;13:850813. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.850813. PMID: 35370675; PMCID: PMC8971627.

[8] Wu JY, Siu KC, Geng P. Bioactive Ingredients and Medicinal Values of Grifola frondosa (Maitake). Foods. 2021 Jan 5;10(1):95. doi: 10.3390/foods10010095. PMID: 33466429; PMCID: PMC7824844.

[9] Dai X, Stanilka JM, Rowe CA, Esteves EA, Nieves C Jr, Spaiser SJ, Christman MC, Langkamp-Henken B, Percival SS. Consuming Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) Mushrooms Daily Improves Human Immunity: A Randomized Dietary Intervention in Healthy Young Adults. J Am Coll Nutr. 2015;34(6):478-87. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2014.950391. Epub 2015 Apr 11. PMID: 25866155.