Stewed Bird's Nest: A Convenient and Nutritious Choice

For over 1,000 years, edible bird’s nests have been enjoyed as a delicacy in China. Made from swiftlet nests, a bird species native to Southeast Asia, authentic bird nests are a superfood packed with health benefits. Edible bird nests are primarily made into soups or drinks with a variety of tasty flavors. It is unfortunate that because of these benefits and niche quality, the edible bird’s nest market is also overrun with fake producers looking to cash in –– one pound of bird’s nests can sell for more than $4,000 per pound. This profit margin combined with increased global interest in edible bird nests has created a perfect storm for fake bird nests. So, how should customers navigate this fraught subject? How do you know if a bird's nest is real? And how does one avoid buying fake bird nests? As experts in the edible bird nest industry, CM Nest is here to help. To assist, we’ve put together a list of things you’ll want to check to determine the real deal from the fraud. The Difference Between Fake Bird’s Nests and Real Bird’s Nests Shape and Appearance An authentic bird nest will come in the shapes of cups, triangles, strips or cakes depending on quality (cups being the highest grade). One will also occasionally find small feathers stuck within the fibers. When soaked in water, authentic bird nests will gradually lose its shape along with the appearance of more pronounced nest fibers. In comparison, fake bird nests will have a relatively uniform, bumpy surface with a slight, medicinal smell. Color A great way to tell fake nests from authentic bird nests is the color that appears after soaking. The water left over from a real edible bird nest will be clear. The nest itself will also maintain its color. However, a fake bird nest will show signs of discoloration due to the artificial coloring. One of the more highly prized edible bird nest varieties is the blood nest, a color that’s been falsely attributed to the result of blood being in swiftlet saliva. For this special bird nest, pay attention to the color after the soaking process. An authentic blood bird nest should still be vibrantly red whereas the fake version will stain the water. Texture Under close inspection, authentic bird nests will have an uneven structure. By comparison, a fake bird nest will have neater and more coarsely distributed nest fibers. Transparency Authentic bird nest will appear semi-transparent compared to a fake bird nest, which will either be nontransparent or even reflective in some cases. This reflective quality of fake edible bird nests is the result of undesirable chemicals. How to Test for Fake Bird’s Nests The Crumble Test A simple way to test the authenticity of your edible bird nests is to crumble it between your fingers. Natural bird nests should break down into a powder-like substance during this process. In comparison, while synthetic bird's nests will emulate the fragility of authentic bird nests, there's one key difference –– fake edible bird nests will break off into chunks instead of a powder. The Soak Test A critical part of making edible bird nests into bird nest soup is the soaking process, which usually takes around 1-2 hours. This step is important for the rehydration process that’s needed to properly prepare bird nests for soups or drinks. First, pay attention to the shape of the bird nest before soaking. Fake nests are more uniform, while a real bird’s nest will transform into a gelatinous, formless shape after about 30 minutes. The fibers of the nest will also still be visible, but not nearly as uniform as when dry. On the other hand, fake bird’s nests will maintain a uniform shape during the soaking process as well as a minor chemical or fatty/fried smell. The surface of the fake bird’s nest will also be bumpy. Next, the size of the bird nest post-soak. Fake nests don’t expand. However, an authentic bird’s nest will often double in size after soaking. In fact, real nests can absorb up to seven to nine times their weight in water. Finally, there’s the soaking water. Because edible bird’s nests are made from water-based swiftlet saliva, the substance should mix well with the soaking water. For instance, if you were to stir a bird’s nest while soaking, a bubbly foam would appear on the surface of the water. However, since fake bird’s nests are made from chemicals, stirring a fake bird’s nest in the soaking water will only cloud the water. How to Choose the Best Bird's Nests The key to selecting a good bird’s nest is to purchase them from a reputable source. The last thing anyone wants is to spend money only to eat fake bird's nest soup. Not only do fake bird nests lack the nutritional benefits of the real product, they also have an inferior texture. The critical things to look for when...

What is Edible Bird’s Nests? So what exactly is edible bird’s nests? Edible bird’s nests are exactly what the name implies–bird nests. Specifically, these nests, constructed of solidified bird saliva, belong to a species of Southeast Asian swallow birds. It’s a curious delicacy and highly prized in China by both chefs and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. As a health food, bird’s nests are second to none in Chinese culture. Thanks to modern innovation, there are now a plethora of new, creative ways to enjoy this amazing delicacy that pays homage to tradition without sacrificing its health benefits. How to Prepare Bird Nest the Traditional Way Traditional Raw Bird’s Nest Traditionally, bird’s nests are prepared as a warm soup and can be either sweet or savory. It’s primarily served in celebratory banquets and considered a high-end and luxurious dish. Preparing raw bird’s nests from scratch is an extremely pain staking process. Chinese chefs take the swallow bird nests and meticulously clean and soak them for impurities such as feathers or debris that can become trapped within the nests. This traditional method is very time-consuming and the entire process can last upwards to a day. However, all traditional raw bird’s nests nowaday, are already 100% hand-cleaned and prepped. All the home cook has to do is cook, saving time from the laborious process. CM Bird’s Nest Soup Ready to eat edible birds nest soup in jars by CM Nest for best ways to eat edible bird's nest onlineThanks to CM Nest, there is no need for the modern consumer to succumb to the painstaking process of washing and prepping required for traditional bird’s nests. CM Nest has a variety of cooked and prepared bird’s nest soup ready to eat. Simply open a bottle and serve when convenient. When a consumer opens a bottle of CM Nest swallow nest soup, they will be pleasantly surprised by how similar in taste, aroma, and texture these ready to eat bird’s nest soups are to the traditional version. This is achieved because of CM Nest’s commitment to hand-washing and bleach-free preparation. All of this ensures the highest quality and safety standards, rendering CM Nest bird’s nest soup safe for the elderly, nursing & pregnant women, and even babies ready for solid food. This product has also improved on the traditional recipe by swapping conventional sugar with USDA organic sugar, which is produced without any synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and bleaching agent (chemical whitener). The inclusion of USDA organic sugar creates a similar sweetness while using 10% less sugar than bird’s nest soups cooked with conventional sugar. For a selection of CM Nest bird’s nests, click here. Bird’s Nest Drinks One single ready to drink Edible Bird's Nest Drink bottle on living room table in front of asian familyLooking for a refreshing beverage? Nowadays, a series of ready to drink bird nests beverages. Each bottle contains bits of swallow bird’s nests and powder blended to perfection.If you’re looking to make your own edible bird’s nest beverages, try these creative recipes from Angel Wong’s Kitchen, including exciting and unconventional flavors like coconut milk or chrysanthemum flowers. Ready to Eat  For those consumers looking to make their own bird’s nest soup recipes instead of premade, Edible Bird's Nest lets the home cook make immaculate edible bird’s nest recipes with their own flavors and seasoning. The innovative Edible Bird's Nest process starts with a strenuous hand-cleaning of raw swallow nests to ensure complete removal of natural impurities. These bird nests are then given a high-pressure, flash-steaming procedure, all performed by licensed experts at our facility in California. When complete, these Edible Bird's Nests are portioned in advance, eliminating time and stress from the preparation process. Edible Bird's Nest can be prepared in as little as 15 minutes on the stove top or in the microwave for 4 minutes, providing convenience and quality no matter the occasion. Simply add 1 piece of Simply Swift into the recommended amount of water, cook, and enjoy! Because Edible Bird's Nest is so convenient, home cooks can now make all manners of unique recipes such as stuffing edible bird’s nests into Asian pears or papaya to create a refreshing and healthy dish. Concentrated Swallow Nest Bowl A single Concentrated Swallow Nest soup bowl for most creative ways to eat edible birds nest. Each bowl is made with natural swallow nests, organic cane sugar and no artificial preservatives, maintaining all the high-quality, fine-dining attributes of traditional edible bird’s nests. Can I Eat Edible Bird’s Nest Every Day? Yes! In fact, bird nest soup is great for overall health. Since its inception into the repertoire of Chinese cuisine, bird nest soup has been embraced by traditional Chinese medicine for its powerful health benefits, possessing properties ranging from boosting virility to promoting cell growth. In recent years, several scientific studies have examined the health benefits of bird saliva, including boosting the immune system, eye health, hormones and an excellent health food for...

Edible Bird’s Nests collection is followed by cleaning processes. Nest cleaning is a very important and time-consuming process. A great deal of care is taken during the cleaning of nests. Nest cleaning is usually performed by means of the conventional cleaning process described below. Conventional Cleaning Process Generally, the harvested edible bird’s nests (EBN) consist of impurities like sand, feathers, egg shells, etc. The conventional cleaning process involves the immersion of nests in water and allowing them to swell. This enables an easy separation of the large feathers from the nest matrix by using forceps. However, care must be taken regarding the elution of the water soluble nutrients in EBN. For the removal of the remaining small feathers, sometimes vegetable oil is used to float the feathers. However, addition of some bleaching agents like hydrogen peroxide to bleach the EBN has been carried out by some producers. Use of hydrogen peroxide reduces the labour cost considerably, as the process is fast. The main drawback with using hydrogen peroxide is that it decolourises the black feathers (impurity) in addition to bleaching the nest colour to white. Therefore, the nests will appear clean but in reality some feathers still remain in the nest. The hydrogen peroxide treated nests are claimed as safe and of food grade quality but, no producer has ever tried to assess the hydrogen peroxide content in nests after their processing. There are no clear guide lines in any country for the control of the tolerance limit of hydrogen peroxide content. Thus, the conventional method of nest cleaning suffers over health concerns. Hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidant and harmful to the human body. Therefore, in order to avoid the hydrogen peroxide processed nests, it would be better for consumers to choose nest cups rather than nest cakes. After cleaning process, the separated strands of EBN and broken filaments are arranged to make nest cake by molding. The shape of the mold could be in leaf shape, round or square, and it depends on the producer’s preference. This is followed by drying of the nests. The drying involves the use of fan or the nests are simply air dried. Many workers do not have adequate hygienic food processing knowledge, hence, they do not dry the nests quickly. This gives enough time to bacteria and fungi to grow prolifertate on the nests. Even the colour of some nests turn brownish or yellowish, and yet, the sellers call it the natural colour of the nests. From the above discussion of the conventional cleaning methods and practices involved in the EBN cleaning industry, it can be seen that the conventional cleaning process of EBN has the following drawbacks. The use of bleaching agent, which may be harmful of even destroy some essential nutrients within the treated EBN. Additives degrade the nutritive and medicinal values of EBN. Preservatives also degrade the quality of EBN as a food and medicine. No care is taken of the preservation of nutrients during the treatment processes. Generally, tap water is used. The process uses the services of untrained workers. Little or no regard is given to hygienic practices Nest cakes are produced. Generally, there is no quality control protocol being followed. Improvement in the Cleaning Processes Generally, premium grade and quality raw bird’s nests are chosen from controlled. environment to avoid the presence of any heavy metals or other biological contaminants. Skilled and well trained workers under the supervision of an expert are allowed to separate the feathers and dirt. High grade reverse osmosis water is used to ensure the cleanliness, and preserve the natural flavour and nutrients of the nest. Processed bird‘s nests are dried in oven (no fan drying) until the right moisture content is achieved. Besides, implementation of the stringent quality control protocols for the end products will allow better grade of bird’s nest. With the advancement of knowledge in the food processing technology, some of the requirements which are stated below should be implement in the bird’s nest cleaning industry. This will surely allow a better and healthy growth for the industry and increase the quality of the nests, since the public become more concerned we aware of the food they consume. Use of bleaching agent should not be encouraged Additives should be avoided. No preservatives should be used. Care should be taken of the preservation of nutrients. Reverse Osmosis water should be used for the cleaning processes. Highly skilled workers should be involved with the cleaning processes Hygienic practices should be encouraged. Whole nest cups should be developed. Quality Control is a must.

The Hidden Facts & Nutritions Edible Bird’s Nest (EBN) is one of the most popular delicacies among the Chinese communities due to its valuable nutritional components and health-promoting effects. Most of the people in the Southeast Asia region consume EBN as a delicious and nutritious food. Nature has gifted the edible bird’s nest with high value nutritional components. The findings regarding the ingredients of edible bird’s nest, some called it as the Chinese bird’s nest, fully justify it as a prized delicacy and effective medicine according to Chinese community. Total Composition of EBN (in percent proximate analysis) Moisture (7.5 – 12.9) Ash (2.1 – 7.3) Fat (0.14 – 1.28) Proteins (42 – 63) Carbohydrates (10.63 – 27.26) Total Nitrogen (25.62 – 27.26) Amino Acid Composition of EBN (in Molar percent) Aspartic acid + asparagine (2.8 – 10.0) Threonine (2.7 – 5.3) Serine (2.8 – 15.9) Glutamic acid + glutamine (2.9 – 7.0) Glycine (1.2 – 5.9) Alanine (0.6 – 4.7) Valine (1.9 – 11.1) Methionine (0 – 0.8) Isoleucine (1.2 – 10.7) Leucine (2.6 – 3.8) Tyrosine (2.0 – 10.1) Phenylalanine (1.8 – 6.8) Lysine (1.4 – 3.5) Histidine (1.0 – 3.3) Arginine (1.4 – 6.1) Tryptophan (0.02 – 0.08) Cysteine (2.44) Proline (2.0 – 3.5) Fatty Acid (% analysis) / Triacyl Glycerol (% analysis) and Vitamin (mg/100gr) Composition of EBN Palmitric C16:0 (23-26) Steric C18:0 (26-29) Linoleic C18:1 (22) Linolenic C18:2 (26) PPO (14-16) OOL (13-15) PLn Ln (18-19) Monoglycerides (27-31) Diglycerides (21-26) Vitamin A (0.0771 – 0.912) Vitamin D (0.15 – 3.19) Vitamin C (0.12 – 29.30) Mineral composition of EBN (measured in ppm) Sodium (330-20,554) Potassium (110-2645) Calcium (798-14,850) Magnesium (330-2980) Phosphorus (40-1080) Iron (30-1860) Sulphur (6244-8840) Manganese (3.58-122.10) Zinc (19.95-72.40) Copper (4.68-110.65) Molybdenum (0-0.94) Cobalt (0-0.63) Nickel (0-0.47) Vanadium (0.03-2.84) Chromium (0-7.45) Regular consumption of EBN as a tonic helps high-spirited physical and mental strength in addition to youthfulness restoration. Besides, it improves skin complexion and slowing down the aging process. Proteins form a considerable fraction of the composition of EBN. These help in the building and repair of body cells and tissues, and driving other metabolic functions. Carbohydrates form another major portion of the composition of EBN with sialic acid as one of the major carbohydrates. Sialic acid has been known for mediating the distribution and structure of gagliosides in brain. Exogenous supplies of sialic acid enhance the neurological and intellectual processes in infants. Thus, sialic acid in EBN enhances the intellectual and mental development, however, its nutritional and biological mechanisms in human body are not fully known yet. Essential trace elements such as phosphorus, calcium, sodium, iron, potassium, iodine, and essential amino acids are some main and major ingredients in EBN. In response to these facts, EBN acts as a highly nutritive and restorative food with sweet and calm character, and can be consumed by all age groups of all genders. The frequent consumption of EBN by ladies makes their complexion fairer, and gives them radiant look. Additionally, during the periods of pregnancy in women, consuming edible bird’s nest help to improve immunity of fetus and helps in easy recovery from debilitation after child birth. The health effects of EBN in elderly people include strengthening of lungs and kidneys, phlegm clearance, fortifying of spleen and enhancing appetite. EBN helps to boost immunity in children. It is quite noteworthy that EBN extracts contain anti-common flu properties and, therefore, EBN may be regarded as a safe and natural source of proteins for the prevention of influenza. Overall, EBN is a complete food enriched with a diverse pool of proteins, lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. This food either as bird’s nest soup or in the form of beverages has got exciting health value as well as nutritional benefits. Chinese people have known about the secrets of edible bird’s nest many years ago, would you give it a try? Feel free to write your comments below.

For hundreds of years, Chinese culture has hailed the health benefits of Swallow bird’s nests in high regard, especially when prepared in its most popular form; bird’s nest soup. Nowadays in many regions of Asia, they are still regarded as a high-end nutritious dish with healing properties. In traditional Chinese medicine, cubilose or edible bird's nests are used to treat ailments such as tuberculosis, asthma, and stomach problems. Edible bird's nests are also linked to enhanced libido, better immune function, increased energy and metabolism, and enhanced circulation. Edible bird's nest soup in white bowl on wooden tableHowever, as the bird’s nest soup has become a global phenomenon, those old notions of health benefits have come under scrutiny: Is bird’s nest soup as healthy as they say it is? Swiftlet or Swallow bird’s nest health benefits have been put to the test in numerous labs to quantify what the stuff is made of. This article will cover the various nutrients, and potential birds nest health benefits. What are the Health Benefits of Bird's Nest? Bird's nest products derived from the saliva-constructed nests of swiftlet birds have been shown to exhibit several benefits including: Edible Bird's Nest Can Promote Eye Health In Asian culture, edible bird's nest has been known to improve eye sight. In recent times too, scientific evidence has demonstrated that edible birds' nests have the potential to improve cell healing in damaged eyes.  Out of the twenty amino acids sought after by humans, 18 types of amino acids are found in edible bird's nests. The human body requires 9 essential amino acids for tissue growth and repair. Edible bird's nest aids in corneal tissue repair and maintaining proper function by increasing cell regeneration. Edible Bird's Nest Can Promote Antioxidant Effects Three pieces of raw edible bird's nest on wooden platter for nutritional benefits of birds nestIn Asian culture, edible bird's nest is known to improve metabolic processes and help prevent chronic ailments. Antioxidant processes in the human body protect against oxidative damage caused by normal metabolic activity. Antioxidants-rich diets have compounds that can combat cell-disruptive effects. In recent times, bird's nest has been found to contain antioxidants. Amino acids, sialic acid, vitamins, lactoferrin, triacylglycerol, fatty acids, minerals, and glucosamine are among the bioactive substances that provide bird's nest its antioxidant capabilities. Edible Bird's Nest Can Promote Bone Health In Asian culture, edible bird's nest has been known to improve overall body health including bone health. Modern research has found this applicable in promoting bone health. Bones are rigid structures that make up the body's skeletal system. They are essential to the body's support system and safeguard a range of key organs. Bones are also involved in the formation of white and red blood cells, the storage of minerals, and the regulation of body movements and locomotion. A 2011 study found that daily use of bird's nest extract increased bone strength and dermal thickness. The oral ingestion of bird's nest extract increased bone strength in test rats due to an increase in calcium levels in the rats' femurs. More notably, following the administration of bird's nest extract, there was an increase in skin thickness. Since ovarian estrogen production declines after menopause, which is the primary cause of rapid bone loss, bird's nest extract ingestion can be an alternative and effective strategy to enhance bone mass while also slowing skin aging in postmenopausal women. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by the deterioration of your joints. It's a painful joint condition that commonly results in stiffness and decreased function. bird's nest extract is considered to have active components that may help reduce the onset of OA and aid cartilage regeneration. Edible Bird's Nest Improves Skin Health In Asian culture, edible bird's nest has been associated with looking younger and having better skin health. Modern research has established a link between bird's nest and skin moisturizing. The moisturizing effect of bird's nest is proposed to originate from interactions between water and sialic acids. Edible Bird Nest Nutrition Facts Edible birds nests are packed with several beneficial nutrients. Some of the nutrients available in edible bird's nest include: Edible Bird's Nest Nutrients: Woven plate on table that holds collection of edible bird's nests for nutritional benefitsEdible Bird's Nest is high in 18 distinct amino acids, most of which are not synthesized by the human body and must be supplied through dietary sources. It contains aspartic acid and proline which enhance cell regeneration while cysteine and phenylalanine have been shown to improve memory, boost nerve impulse transmission, and improve uptake of vitamin D from sunlight. It also contains sialic acid and tyrosine which speed up recovery while glucosamine helps restore cartilage in the case of osteoarthritis.  Edible bird's nests contain plenty of protein including g Glycoproteins, a high-energy material that the body may easily absorb. Furthermore, the edible bird's nest has 31 different elements. It is high in calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), potassium (K), and magnesium...

Edible bird’s nest (EBN) is one of the commonly use health-modulating foods in Chinese populations. In traditional Chinese medicine, EBN is known for its beneficial effects in treating several ailments including consumptive disease, tuberculosis, asthma, dry coughs, stomach ulcers, gastric troubles and bronchial disorders. Due to food and medicinal values, EBN is quite an expensive animal bioproduct, and has thus created lucrative industry in Southeast Asia. It is one of the main contributors of gross domestic product in several Southeast Asian Countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and others. EBN is the dried saliva of swallows / swiftlets commonly found in the Southeaast Asian Countries e.g. Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnamese. Swiftlets are tiny insectivorous birds that often keep on catching insects during flight from nearly first light until dark. Amongst the several swiftlet species in Collocalia genus, only the nests producted by Collocalia fuciphaga, Collocalia germannis, Collocalia maxima and Collocalia unicolor are commercially important due to their human consumptions. Edible bird’s nest (EBN) is called differently in different languages e.g. Yan Wo in Chinese, Sarang Wallet in Indonesian and Enso in Japanese. The saliva secreted from the sublingual salivary glands of swiftlets during nesting and breeding season is the main material used in building of the nests. Generally, the sublingual salivary glands of swiftlets increase in weight from 2.5 to 160mg, and reach their maximum secretory activity during nesting and breeding season. Nests are built using saliva as a cementing material for binding feathers and other vegetation together. It also ensures firm attachment to the vertical walls of inland or seaside caves. Grading of EBN The grading of EBNs is measured on account of their dry mass, the time spent by swiftlets in building nest, and finally the fat and protein content of hardened saliva. As an example, the white nests are almost entirely made from saliva, while the black ones are composed of almost 45-55% feathers and small dried leaves. The bowl shaped EBN is the most popular one in the market compare to other shapes e.g. triangle (corner nest), broken pieces, etc. History of Edible Bird’s Nest (EBN) The earliest history of EBN trade dates back to almost 1000 years ago in China, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). However, some researchers believe that the EBN trade can only be traced back to 1589 when Ming Dynasty ruled the ancient Chinese Empire. It is said that the Admiral Cheng Ho visited Southeast Asia and was given gift of EBN from Indonesia for the Ming Dynasty’s Emperor. This is assumed to be the initial stimulus for opening the trade of these valuable nests. During the ancient Chinese civilization, only the families of the Emperor and his ministers were privileged with the right to consume the highly valued EBN. But, after the end of the monarchy system in China, the general population was introduced to EBN. Because of the delicious, nutritive and medicinal properties of EBN, its fame rose gradually and steadily among the general public. Nowadays, EBN is reputed as one of the most popular delicacies among the Chinese communities. In addition to the consumption of EBN for health-promoting effects and nutritional components, most of the people consume it as mere delicious and nutritious food item. Health Benefits and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) TCM has claimed a long time ago that EBN has highly encouraging effects for the cure and treatment of consumptive diseases, difficult breathing, dry coughs, alleviating asthma, tuberculosis, hemoptysis, asthenia, improving voice, stomach ulcers, relieving gastric troubles and general weakness of bronchial ailments. Besides, EBN is also famous for the proper and healthy nourishment of kidneys, heart, lungs and stomach. Additionally, it helps in raising libido, fortifying the immune system, promoting growth, improving concentration, improving skin complexion, slowing down the aging processes, increasing energy and metabolism, and regulating circulation. The regular consumption of EBN has been associated with healthy effects such as high-spirited physical and mental strength, and youthfulness restoration. Proteins are the main ingredients of EBN. They are generally used for the building and repair of body cells and tissues, and driving other metabolic functions. Carbohydrates are another major ingredients of EBN. Sialic acid is one of the major carbohydrates found in EBN, which mediates the distribution and structure of gangliosides in brain. The essential trace elements such a calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, potassium, iodine and some essential amino acids are the other main and major ingredients in EBN. In the view of these facts, EBN is highly nutritive and restorative food with sweet and calm character appropriate for consumption by all age groups of all genders. Recent studies have demonstrated EBN as a potent medicinal substrate with a wide range of medicinal properties including antiviral, anticancer, eye care, bone strength, neuroprotective and anti-oxidant effects. Besides, EBN has been found to potentiate the proliferation of HASCc. In addition, epidermal growth factor like activity has been documented for EBN in several experiments. Although EBN has...