How is Bird's Nest produced?
Bird's Nest is produced by Swiftlets (Collocalia species). They use a glutinous secretion, also known as "nest cement" to bind together materials for nest building, or construct a whole nest with it. The nest cement is secreted from a pair of sublingual glands located beneath the tongue of the swiftlet.
A swiftlet bird's nest is built primarily for laying eggs and housing the baby swiftlets. After the eggs have been laid and hatched, the baby swiftlets will remain in the nest until it is able to fly away independently. The bird's nest becomes abandoned and will never be re-used. If not harvested, scavengers such as ants, lizards and cockroaches will consume the Bird Nest.
Why are some Bird's Nest different in colour?
Bird's nest contains minerals like copper, iron, zinc, manganese, potassium and sodium. When these minerals are oxidized, they will result in a colour changes. It depends on where the birds are living, either nearer to the ocean or in the forest, usually due to the high mineral content of iron, nests harvested nearer to oceans appeared to be either yellowish or orange and this is due to the oxidation of those minerals.
What is the look, smell, feel, of pure Bird's Nest?
Pure bird's nest has a translucent look and free from impurities under examination of the naked eye. All bird's nest varies in shape and sizes so a uniformly shaped bird's nest is likely to have been unnaturally altered during the cleaning process. Pure bird's nest originally smells similar to the scent of egg white and should be dried to avoid natural accumulation of sodium nitrite. (The sodium in bird nest, nitrogen in air and water will react to form nitrite). Pure Bird Nest is quite fragile and can be broken easily, therefore moisture would be present within them during transportation.
How to identify the Genuine Bird's Nest?
Bird's nest is an expensive and nutritious product. Thus, it is important to distinguish a genuine piece of bird's nest. In the market, there are many unethical businessmen who would increase the weight of bird's nest by adding additives like white fungus, jelly and animal skin.
Appearance:
Good and genuine nests consist of two main types of filaments:
- The outer layer that has longer and bigger filaments
- The outer layer that has longer and bigger filaments
- The inner part has finer, shorter filaments
- A slight gloss due to the glutinous secretion should be visible
- It would always be in ivory colour
- The nest should be transculent when shone against a light source
Odour:
- It would contain a faint smell in resemblence of egg white in the raw state
- During double boiling a fine scent of near albumin smell will occur(Much like the smell of faint cooked egg white)
Soaking:
- Nests would usually swell to about twice the original size
- Air bubbles would be visible during the soaking due to water absorption
- Water during the soaking process is clear
After Cooking:
- When double boiled for 1-2 hours the bird's nest inner filaments become water-soluble
- The outer filaments contain mainly minerals; it is less soluble but gives bird's nest its signature fibrous taste and appearance
- The outer filaments contain mainly minerals; it is less soluble but gives bird's nest its signature fibrous taste and appearance
How do I store my Bird's Nest?
- It could be stored in any container that is dry and preferably airtight
- They could be kept at room temperature or even in the refrigerator, but not the freezer
- Keep it in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight
- As bird's nest is a dried product, with proper storage, it could be kept for many years with proper storage
- They could be kept at room temperature or even in the refrigerator, but not the freezer
- Keep it in a cool and dry place away from direct sunlight
- As bird's nest is a dried product, with proper storage, it could be kept for many years with proper storage
How often can I consume Bird's Nest and how much can I eat?
Bird's nest can be consumed daily. An average person can consume anything between 3g to 5g of dried bird's nest. Any excessive consumption will be discharged by the body.
Is Bird's Nest suitable for everyone's consumption?
Bird's nest is suitable for all age groups but a small minority of people who are allergic to protein may find it unsuitable as a small sip of the bird's nest soup will make their lips swollen
When is the best time to consume Bird's Nest?
It is best to drink it before and after sleep as the rich antioxidants will help the body to eradicate free radicals. As the body heals during our sleep and bird's nest actually enhances the bodily ability to regenerate new cells, taking a bowl before sleep is definitely recommended.
Bird Nest table of contents:
What are the health benefits of eating Bird's Nest?
From the chemical analysis report of pure bird's nest, we can identify soluble amino acids that will help to repair body cells and generate new cells, therefore women during preganencies and children are recommended for regular intakes. The antioxidant helps to eradicate free radicals in the body, thus preventing cell damages and help cell rejunvination. Bird's nest also contains EGF(epidermal growth factor) which produces an anti ageing effect, making regular bird's nest consumers looking young and radiant.
Bird's nest also helps in reducing the phlem accumulation from our bodies and enhances the lungs function. People with asthma or frequent cough problems could take it as a supplement to help control the conditions.
What are the nutritious contents found in Bird Nest?
Protein:
About half the bird’s nest comprises of protein and it is a macronutrient that the human body needs in relatively large amounts. First, it provides the essential amino acids that our own tissues cannot produce. Secondly, protein provides nitrogen to produce non-essential amino acids and other nitrogen-containing compounds.Amino Acid: Bird's nest contains amino acids such as arginine cystein, histidine tryptophan, etc. Amino acids can be best described as the construction blocks from which protein is made of.
About half the bird’s nest comprises of protein and it is a macronutrient that the human body needs in relatively large amounts. First, it provides the essential amino acids that our own tissues cannot produce. Secondly, protein provides nitrogen to produce non-essential amino acids and other nitrogen-containing compounds.Amino Acid: Bird's nest contains amino acids such as arginine cystein, histidine tryptophan, etc. Amino acids can be best described as the construction blocks from which protein is made of.
Minerals:
Various types of minerals like zinc, copper, iron, sodium, phosphorous have also been found in analyses of bird’s nests. These minerals are essential for our need for oxygen to sustain all mental and physical processes, and for our total well-being. They are important in maintaining all physiological processes as they made up the constituents of teeth, bones, tissues, blood, muscle, and nerve cells.Antioxidant:
Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damages to our body. Health problems such as heart disease, muscular degeneration, diabetes, cancer, etc. are all contributed by oxidative damages. Antioxidants may also boast our immune systems and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.
Various types of minerals like zinc, copper, iron, sodium, phosphorous have also been found in analyses of bird’s nests. These minerals are essential for our need for oxygen to sustain all mental and physical processes, and for our total well-being. They are important in maintaining all physiological processes as they made up the constituents of teeth, bones, tissues, blood, muscle, and nerve cells.Antioxidant:
Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damages to our body. Health problems such as heart disease, muscular degeneration, diabetes, cancer, etc. are all contributed by oxidative damages. Antioxidants may also boast our immune systems and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.
Bird Nest table of contents:
| Ash | 0.5 - 0.7% |
| Fibre | 0.5 - 0.7% |
| Protein | 56.7% - 63.5% |
| Fats | 0.5 - 1% |
| Moisture | + - 10% |
| Carbohydrate | 20.1 - 25.7% |
"Cave Nest" is better than "House Nest"?
In Malaysia, cave bird's nests are mainly harvested from natural caves in the states of Sarawak and Sabah on Borneo Island. The famous caves are located at Niah, Kakus, Baram and Tinjar.
The harvesters often face considerable danger when harvesting these bird nests. Since cave bird's nests are formed by free, naturally-living swiftlets, some people consider them to be more valuable than birds nests found in houses. Thus, cave bird nests often fetch a higher price as compared to house bird nest.
However, unknown to many consumers in the market, "Cave Nests" generally contain more foreign materials and feathers than "House Nests". Besides, cave bird nest are exposed to the risk of heavy metals contamination from external environmental factors. So, consume cave bird's nest at your own risk!
The harvesters often face considerable danger when harvesting these bird nests. Since cave bird's nests are formed by free, naturally-living swiftlets, some people consider them to be more valuable than birds nests found in houses. Thus, cave bird nests often fetch a higher price as compared to house bird nest.
However, unknown to many consumers in the market, "Cave Nests" generally contain more foreign materials and feathers than "House Nests". Besides, cave bird nest are exposed to the risk of heavy metals contamination from external environmental factors. So, consume cave bird's nest at your own risk!
Blood Nest (Red Bird Nest) is better?
It is believed that the red-coloured “Blood Nests” are more nutritious as they are formed by swiftlets that vomit their blood to build the nest.
There is also another belief that the “Blood Nests” was formed by a different species of swiftlet which consumes different kinds of water and food.
There is also another belief that the “Blood Nests” was formed by a different species of swiftlet which consumes different kinds of water and food.
However, these nests only appeared almost 1 in a thousand pieces, and they do not appear as bloody red. Blood upon drying up, turns black and not red.
Contrary to these beliefs, swiftlets do not vomit blood; neither do they consume different kinds of water and food. In general, bird's nests act like sponges. They absorb the chemical elements from the environment such as iron from the cave walls, minirialized waters and toxins present in the enviornment they are formed in. Hence, “Blood Nest” may be harmful rather than beneficial to human beings as some will dye it red so that they may fetch a hefty profit from unwary consumers.
Contrary to these beliefs, swiftlets do not vomit blood; neither do they consume different kinds of water and food. In general, bird's nests act like sponges. They absorb the chemical elements from the environment such as iron from the cave walls, minirialized waters and toxins present in the enviornment they are formed in. Hence, “Blood Nest” may be harmful rather than beneficial to human beings as some will dye it red so that they may fetch a hefty profit from unwary consumers.
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