Fern and Egg Drop Soup
Fern and Egg Drop Soup is a light, savory Chinese soup featuring tender fern tips (often bracken or fiddlehead ferns) swirled with silky egg ribbons in a clear broth. It typically includes ginger, scallions, and a touch of sesame oil for aroma, and is popular in regions like Hunan, Sichuan, and Yunnan where wild ferns are foraged.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This soup is low in calories and carbohydrates, with a moderate amount of protein from the eggs. It provides key nutrients like vitamin K, iron, and potassium from the ferns, along with choline from the eggs.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 85 kcal |
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbs | 5 g |
| Fat | 4 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
| Vitamin K | 45 mcg |
| Iron | 2.5 mg |
| Potassium | 320 mg |
| Vitamin A | 120 RAE |
| Folate | 55 mcg |
| Choline | 70 mg |
| Manganese | 0.4 mg |
| Selenium | 8 mcg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Ferns have been foraged and eaten in China for centuries, valued for their crisp texture and earthy flavor. Nutritionally, they are a rare plant source of vitamin B12 analogs and offer antioxidants not commonly found in cultivated vegetables.
