Bird Nest Knowledge

Bird Nest Knowledge : “Bird Nest offers many health benefits for mothers-to-be throughout their 9 month pregnancy term.”

Bird Nest & Pregnancy

Bird Nest soup is a well-known delicacy in Chinese cuisine, dating back more than 1000 years. The health benefits of Bird Nest are well-documented and it is a widely-consumed food, especially amongst pregnant women as it can help promote cell division whilst strengthening both the mother’s and the baby’s immune system.
An ideal tonic for expecting mother and foetus, Bird Nest offers many health benefits for mothers-to-be throughout their whole 9-month pregnancy term. The early stages of pregnancy are the most important time for the foetus as the baby is in its most formative stage. Consuming Bird Nest during the first trimester helps strengthen the mother’s body so she has a higher resistance towards pregnancy-related ailments.
The first weeks of pregnancy can really take a toll on the mother with all the hormonal changes that are taking place in the body. The mother also uses a higher amount of nutrients for the development of the foetus. Bird Nest has been proven to replenish these nutrients by assisting in cell regeneration for both mother and baby.

Bird Nest Knowledge

“Bird Nest offers many health benefits for mothers-to-be throughout their 9 month pregnancy term.”

As the stomach swells during pregnancy, stretch marks are a normal occurrence. Bird Nests are believed to help relieve stretch marks thanks to the natural collagen contained within, ensuring smooth, supple skin for the mother-to-be. Comprising many restorative properties, Bird Nest is also beneficial for promoting healthy growth to the foetus by stimulating cell growth, increasing blood supply and boosting the immune system while providing rich antioxidants to help eliminate free radicals.
When consuming Bird Nest, it is vital for expecting mothers to select a trusted brand of Bird Nest to ensure that they are not unknowingly consuming harmful preservatives and chemicals. At Company, we are in full control of the whole process from the construction, maintenance and harvesting of Bird Nest farms right through to the processing of the nests as well as packaging, sales and distribution. This ensures that our Bird Nests are 100% pure with no chemicals, additives, preservatives or colourings used. With Company Bird Nest, you can enjoy nature’s finest delicacy with total peace of mind.

Blood-red Bird Nest a commercial gimmick

    SO-CALLED rare Malaysian blood-red edible Bird Nest, or cubilose, is fake, it has emerged. Malaysia only produces white edible Bird Nest, a press conference was told Saturday in Shanghai by a representative of the Malaysian Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry.

The official press conference came on the heels of nation-wide media reports that said last month’s spot checks on the blood-red edible Bird Nest at 491 dealers in Zhejiang Province found nitrite levels in all samples far exceeded the legal cap. Most of the 30,000 tested nests were imported from Malaysia.
Edible Bird Nest, which is made from the secretions of a bird’s salivary glands, is regarded as a delicacy and medicinal in some Southeast Asian countries. On the Chinese mainland, each gram of Bird Nest can cost 40 yuan (US$6.20), the Beijing-based Global Times reported Aug.19.
The report has triggered a national crisis of confidence in China about the world’s biggest exporter of the edible Bird Nest, with 95 percent of it sold to China.

The Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce said at a press conference earlier this month that the amount of nitrite in local Bird Nests was perilously above the permitted standard and posed a threat to consumers’ health.
On July 26, two bogus Malaysian officials held a press conference in Hangzhou to defend the quality of the blood-red Bird Nest.
The identity of the two fake officials has been discovered, and they may face jail, according to Saturday’s press conference.
In Malaysia, the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) has decided to conduct spot checks on Bird Nest processing factories to ensure only top quality nest is produced for export, according to an Aug. 25 report by the Sun Daily, an English newspaper in Malaysia.
Malay’s Federation of the Edible Bird Nest Merchants Association deputy chairman, Datuk Choot Seng Chai, said the federation welcomes the move.
He said the move would show China that Malaysia does not export low-quality Bird Nest.
“We don’t want the industry’s image to be tarnished by unscrupulous traders. We have never wanted to compromise the health of consumers in China (by poor-quality Bird Nest),” he said, with reference to the reports in China, the Sun Daily reported.
He told the Hong Kong-based Oriental Daily News that the Bird Nest industry and the government need to work closely together to restore confidence in Bird Nest imported from Malaysia.
He said local Bird Nest merchants are considering hiring independent foreign experts to carry out tests to give Malaysian products the seal of approval.
Aside from this, he said the government will make arrangements for Chinese government officials to get first-hand knowledge of how Bird Nest is harvested and cleaned.

Prepared Foods: Bird Nest Soup

Bird Nests in Southeast Asian caves have an unusual method of building their nests: spitting. The Bird Nest sticks to cave walls, then hardens into firm, white cups that house their eggs. After the birds migrate, brave harvesters scale rickety bamboo ladders and peel away the nests. They will be made into a very unique, very expensive soup.

Why is Bird Nest soup expensive?

Peddlers justify the hefty price tag, which can range from $40 per bowl to thousands of dollars per pound, by citing the small yield and dangerous harvesting process. (Many gatherers fall to their deaths—not that the money is going directly to them.)
Despite the decadence of its expense, the nest itself has a bland flavor. This is why chefs clean the dried saliva in water and season it with chicken broth, ginger, and Yunnan ham. A dessert version coats the noodles in rock sugar for a more syrupy effect. After simmering with the other ingredients, the nest develops a uniquely gelatinous texture that attracts many fans in China and Hong Kong.
Chinese traditional medicine practitioners believe the dish relieves digestive problems, clears the complexion, and boosts the libido. Critics, however, note that the soup lacks sufficient nutritional value to justify its price tag. A 1998 study, for example, found that a single egg had the same amount of protein as 26 bottles of the soup.

Conservationists have also noted that over-harvesting disrupts breeding and reduces Bird Nest populations. Due to growing demand, poachers often steal nests from protected areas or gather them before the birds’ migration season, while the eggs are still inside. The competitive industry has also sparked violence: A 2000 exposé in the SF Gate described government-licensed harvesters employing private armies to guard caves and shoot at both poachers and “unauthorized” passersby such as fishermen and tourists.
For a safer, more sustainable method of collecting nests, countries like Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia have turned to Bird Nest farming. Bird Nest houses, looming structures that play special sounds to lure the birds inside, are becoming big business. In 2013, there were 60,000 such houses in Malaysia.
Researchers don’t know yet if the farms are having a positive effect on Bird Nest populations. But they’re certainly more ethical than poaching from a protected cave in a national park. Knowing that your Bird Nest soup came from a farmer instead of a poacher might make the viscous strands taste a little sweeter.

Need to Know

Bird Nest soup and the dried nests themselves are available in select restaurants and markets in China and Hong Kong. They're also available in various Chinatowns throughout the United States. Beware: Some vendors sell fake Bird Nests, made from plant extracts.