Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Blood Nest Is Safe To Consume According To Scientific Research


Bloodnest or edible red Swallow Bird’s Nest is known to be one of nature’s oldest dish in China and has long become a household name within the Asian culture. Bloodnest which identified to have vibrant red color – is considered as the highest quality Swallow Bird’s Nest within the industry.
The history of this dish has spanned for centuries because of its healthy reason. According to stories, only the royal family could enjoy it since it was very rare. Nowadays, although the price is still relatively high, it has become much more of a common food for most Asians. Consequently, the luxurious status of this product has also made it popular as gift alternatives for those celebrating Chinese New Year.
Blood Nest Is Safe To Consume According To Scientific Research
Blood Nest Is Safe To Consume According To Scientific Research


Red Swallow Bird’s Nest from Thailand’s cave

Bloodnest was first found in natural caves from countries mostly located in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia (North Borneo), and Indonesia. Yet fascinatingly, old manmade houses, which conditions appear to be highly similar with that of natural caves, can also produce bloodnest.
RedNest_ThailandCaveBloodnest’s existence has always been a mystery, and not many people truly understand how this luxury dish is formed. Many people until today take its name too literally and assumed that the color of bloodnest comes from the blood of the bird (Species: Collocalia fuciphaga). Some are also misled by rumors, believing that the color of bloodnest is artificially made by chemical coloring and other harmful substances. Perhaps, these negative issues are direct result from aggressive marketing competitions.
But regardless of all the false myths circling around, this miracle of nature is essentially a simple product of fermentation process. When initially produced from the salivary gland, bloodnest was white, just like all other Swallow Bird’s Nest. However, with the precise combination between the microclimate factors in the caves/house (ranging from its temperature to its humidity level), and the various substances found in it, an organic fermentation process occurs. Within a period of 2 – 3 months, the observable result.

The natural formation of red Swallow Bird’s Nest by fermentation that happen in the house.

Shown in the picture some of the Swallow Bird’s Nest color have already changed to red and few Swallow Bird’s Nest that are recently built are still whiteof the fermentation is reflected through the change of color, where white Swallow Bird’s Nest turn into bloodnest.
Natural-FormationLike bloodnest, many other food products in our market today are also made through fermentation. There are more fermented products in the market than we think. Common food such as black tea, soy sauce, vinegar, kimchee, tofu, wine, beer, and cheese are all fermented product.
During fermentation processes, new substances that hold benefits for the human health are often created. This is most likely why fermented dish becomes a healthy choice of meal for many cultures today.
The price of bloodnest is normally higher than white Swallow Bird’s Nest, and its demand consistently increases throughout time. In order to fulfill this demand, several producers have attempted and somewhat succeeded to recreate this fermentation process in other settings besides houses and caves.
Replicating the fermentation process in other setting allows them to be more practical, as it speeds the process of fermentation to only several days. However, similar to how wine has a wide range of quality, bloodnest’s quality also varies.
The quality of wine is largely determined from its material and its fermentation method. Likewise, although more time consuming and difficult to produce, cave/house-produced bloodnest clearly results in a much better quality than bloodnest produced in other settings. This difference in quality causes cave/house produced bloodnest to have a much higher price than bloodnest produced otherwise.
During the process of bloodnest fermentation, many substances that are highly beneficial towards the human health are created as a result. However, along with the creation of these healthy substances, a high level of Nitrite is also produced as a byproduct of this fermentation process.

Harvested red Swallow Bird’s Nest from the house

Normally, when bloodnest is prepared and ready to be eaten, this level of Nitrite has essentially decreased to a minimal amount. This is because consumers of Swallow Bird’s Nest have long adopted a very common practice when preparing their Swallow Bird’s Nests before cooking.
They soak the nest in water for a few hours before they replace it with new water for boiling.
Scientists have discovered that Nitrite is a highly soluble substance. When bloodnest is soaked in water for a mere 2 hours, most of the Nitrite content has dissolved in water, and bloodnest is left with a negligible amount of Nitrite, making it a safe and healthy consumption.
Zainal Hasan, a scientist who performed research on the Nitrite level in bloodnest from Departemen Biokimia FMIPA-IPB Laboratory, Bogor – Indonesia, supported this finding. He commented, “after we soaked 10grams of bloodnest in 1 liter of water for 2 hours, there is a drastic reduction of Nitrite concentration in bloodnest”.
According to the USDA1978 regulation, food with Nitrite content that is lower than 120ppm is safe to be consumed. After soaking, bloodnest Nitrite level falls to a level that is much lower than 120ppm thus making it very safe to be consumed.”
In reality, many other organic products in the market today also contain some level of Nitrite. Foods such as shark’s fin, sea cucumber, canned meat, and abalone are all common products that contain Nitrite substance. Even raw black nest from the caves in Indonesia and Malaysia also contain some level of Nitrite. Most of the dishes listed above are very popular dishes in China, and given proper preparation, they too are safe to be eaten.
Based on the facts presented, and credible discussions with specialized scientists, it can be concluded that bloodnest is proven to be a very safe dish to consume. Just like other food, with proper preparation before consumption, bloodnest becomes a highly enjoyable dish that also holds various health benefits for its consumers.

How to prepare Swallow Bird’s Nest


A bowl of Swallow Bird’s Nest is a prized Chinese delicacy. Swallow Bird’s Nests are expensive due to the difficulty in harvesting and the many benefits it brings. Swallow Bird’s Nest does wonders for the skin, throat and lungs, as well as boosting overall health and well-being.
Lots of Asian celebrities consume this daily to look beautiful! When cooked, the Swallow Bird’s Nest takes on a gelatin texture, making it a lovely tong shui (“sweet soup”; Chinese dessert). The highly recommended way to enjoy Swallow Bird’s Nest, is just with water and rock sugar. Check out the recipe below to make that homely bowl of double-boiled Swallow Bird’s Nest.
How to prepare Swallow Bird’s Nest
How to prepare Swallow Bird’s Nest

Information:
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 piece  Swallow Bird’s Nest
1 bowl of water
A handful of rock sugar to taste
3 pieces red dates (optional)
2 pieces dried longan (optional)
5 pieces wolfberries (optional)
3 pieces American Ginseng Slices (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Soak Swallow Bird’s Nest in a bowl of water overnight (8-10 hours) until expanded and softened.
 Swallow Bird’s Nest Soak Preparation
Pluck out any feathers or debris using kitchen tweezers. Rinse and drain. To prevent wastage, run soaking water through a fine sieve to catch the small bits of Swallow Bird’s Nest.
Add soaked Swallow Bird’s Nest, 1 rice bowl of water, and any another optional ingredients in a small bowl and cover with lid.
Place small bowl inside a larger pot and make sure the water in the larger pot starts to boil. Once it starts boiling, close the lid for the small bowl and let it boil for 15 minutes. When the Swallow Bird’s Nest is cooked to desired texture, stir in rock sugar to taste and cover for about 5 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve fully. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
TIPS
  1. Rather than weighing the Swallow Bird’s Nest, go by pieces per person. For one person, use 1 piece of  Swallow Bird’s Nest. This equates to about 8-10 grams per person. We use 1 rice bowl of water per person.
  2. Although red dates are a common addition in Swallow Bird’s Nest, we wouldn't recommend using it. According to our own experience, the cheap red dates will act like a sponge which absorb the goodness of the Swallow Bird’s Nest (though it’s not so bad if you eat the red dates).
  3. We highly recommend to enjoy Swallow Bird’s Nest in the purest way – just Swallow Bird’s Nest, water and rock sugar. You may also add American ginseng slices. If you find ginseng bitter or intend to consume at night (it improves alertness/提神), omit it.
  4. Don’t fuss over prepping the Swallow Bird’s Nest, because our Swallow Bird’s Nest usually very clean. Simply soak the Swallow Bird’s Nest pieces in water overnight until fully expanded and softened, but not so long that the Swallow Bird’s Nest disintegrates into small bits. If there are any impurities such as debris and feathers (which is very normal, as it proves that it is 100% authentic Swallow Bird’s Nest), pluck them out using a kitchen tweezer, drain, and they are ready for cooking.
  5. Avoid boiling Swallow Bird’s Nest for too long. Boiling them for too long will remove the solid chunks in the Swallow Bird’s Nest, and cause it to become very watery. It will also remove all the proteins and good nutrients inside the Swallow Bird’s Nest. The older folks especially dislike it when the stewed Swallow Bird’s Nest do not have solid chunks after cooking (i.e. very watery). We highly recommend boiling them for 15 minutes max.
  6. For best results, use the traditional way of double-boiling instead of an electronic double-boiler slow cooker. However, an electronic slow cooker is an alternative, subjected to personal preference.
  7. It is said that Swallow Bird’s Nest is best consumed at room temperature, or chilled, on an empty stomach (such as just before bed, or when you wake up in the morning). For maximum absorption, do not eat “heaty” snacks or medication a few hours before and after drinking Swallow Bird’s Nest.

Healing Powers of Swallow Bird’s Nest Remain Mysterious


At as much as $4,500 per pound, Swallow Bird’s Nest are among the most expensive foods on the planet.
Made from the saliva of cave-dwelling birds called Swallow Bird’s Nest, the nests are dangerous to harvest, laborious to prepare and have, according to traditional Chinese medicine, a long list of health benefits.
Traditionally consumed in soup, Swallow Bird’s Nest are now being turned into food and drink additives as well as put into cosmetics, say two Chinese researchers who have assessed just what is known about the nutritional and medicinal properties of this expensive, and to Westerners, strange-sounding health food.
Science cannot yet explain the healing powers attributed to the soup, they conclude. Swallow Bird’s Nest "bioactivities and medicinal value are still open to question as there (is) not much scientific research on the medicinal properties," Fucui Ma and Daicheng Liu of Shandong Normal University in China write in a review article to be published in the October issue of the journal Food Research International. .
Swallow Bird’s Nest live in limestone caves around the Indian Ocean, in South and South East Asia, North Australia and the Pacific Islands. Males primarily build the nests, attaching them to the vertical walls of the caves. Removing them can be dangerous and painstaking work, and, depending on the type of nest, it can take one person eight hours to clean 10 nests, the researchers write.
Healing Powers of Swallow Bird’s Nest Remain Mysterious
Healing Powers of Swallow Bird’s Nest Remain Mysterious

For possibly 1,200 years, the Chinese have prepared and eaten the nests as a soup. The nests are considered to have a high nutritional and medicinal value, believed to have everything from anti-aging and anti-cancer properties to the ability to improve concentration and raise libido.
Protein is the most abundant constituent of the nests, which contain all of the essential amino acids, the building blocks out of which proteins are made. They also contain six hormones, including testosterone and estradiol, the researchers write.
The nests also contain carbohydrates, ash and a small quantity of lipids (naturally occurring molecules that include fats). Previous research has indicated that the nests contain substances that can stimulate cell division and growth, enhance tissue growth and regeneration, and that it can inhibit influenza infections.
But not everyone reacts well to them. Swallow Bird’s Nest are known to cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction.
Little research has been carried out on their biological function so far, and more is needed to better understand the qualities attributed to them, they conclude.

How to prepare Swallow Bird’s Nest
A bowl of Swallow Bird’s Nest is a prized Chinese delicacy. Swallow Bird’s Nests are expensive due to the difficulty in harvesting and the many benefits it brings. Swallow Bird’s Nest does wonders for the skin, throat and lungs, as well as boosting overall health and well-being.
Lots of Asian celebrities consume this daily to look beautiful! When cooked, the Swallow Bird’s Nest takes on a gelatin texture, making it a lovely tong shui (“sweet soup”; Chinese dessert). The highly recommended way to enjoy Swallow Bird’s Nest, is just with water and rock sugar. Check out the recipe below to make that homely bowl of double-boiled Swallow Bird’s Nest.

Information:
Serves: 1
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 piece  Swallow Bird’s Nest
1 bowl of water
A handful of rock sugar to taste
3 pieces red dates (optional)
2 pieces dried longan (optional)
5 pieces wolfberries (optional)
3 pieces American Ginseng Slices (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Soak Swallow Bird’s Nest in a bowl of water overnight (8-10 hours) until expanded and softened.
 Swallow Bird’s Nest Soak Preparation
Pluck out any feathers or debris using kitchen tweezers. Rinse and drain. To prevent wastage, run soaking water through a fine sieve to catch the small bits of Swallow Bird’s Nest.
Add soaked Swallow Bird’s Nest, 1 rice bowl of water, and any another optional ingredients in a small bowl and cover with lid.
Place small bowl inside a larger pot and make sure the water in the larger pot starts to boil. Once it starts boiling, close the lid for the small bowl and let it boil for 15 minutes. When the Swallow Bird’s Nest is cooked to desired texture, stir in rock sugar to taste and cover for about 5 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve fully. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
TIPS
  1. Rather than weighing the Swallow Bird’s Nest, go by pieces per person. For one person, use 1 piece of  Swallow Bird’s Nest. This equates to about 8-10 grams per person. We use 1 rice bowl of water per person.
  2. Although red dates are a common addition in Swallow Bird’s Nest, we wouldn't recommend using it. According to our own experience, the cheap red dates will act like a sponge which absorb the goodness of the Swallow Bird’s Nest (though it’s not so bad if you eat the red dates).
  3. We highly recommend to enjoy Swallow Bird’s Nest in the purest way – just Swallow Bird’s Nest, water and rock sugar. You may also add American ginseng slices. If you find ginseng bitter or intend to consume at night (it improves alertness/提神), omit it.
  4. Don’t fuss over prepping the Swallow Bird’s Nest, because our Swallow Bird’s Nest usually very clean. Simply soak the Swallow Bird’s Nest pieces in water overnight until fully expanded and softened, but not so long that the Swallow Bird’s Nest disintegrates into small bits. If there are any impurities such as debris and feathers (which is very normal, as it proves that it is 100% authentic Swallow Bird’s Nest), pluck them out using a kitchen tweezer, drain, and they are ready for cooking.
  5. Avoid boiling Swallow Bird’s Nest for too long. Boiling them for too long will remove the solid chunks in the Swallow Bird’s Nest, and cause it to become very watery. It will also remove all the proteins and good nutrients inside the Swallow Bird’s Nest. The older folks especially dislike it when the stewed Swallow Bird’s Nest do not have solid chunks after cooking (i.e. very watery). We highly recommend boiling them for 15 minutes max.
  6. For best results, use the traditional way of double-boiling instead of an electronic double-boiler slow cooker. However, an electronic slow cooker is an alternative, subjected to personal preference.
  7. It is said that Swallow Bird’s Nest is best consumed at room temperature, or chilled, on an empty stomach (such as just before bed, or when you wake up in the morning). For maximum absorption, do not eat “heaty” snacks or medication a few hours before and after drinking Swallow Bird’s Nest.

Preparing and consuming Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy


Swallow Bird’s Nest is a chinese delicacy that is consumed by the high-ranking officials, wealthy people and the royal family in the past. Like the name suggests, it is the nest of swallows, and is thought to be rich in nutrients like collagen, amino acids and anti-oxidants. Until now, chinese have the tradition of consuming Swallow Bird’s Nest, especially during pregnancy and confinement to ‘bu’ the body.

1. How is Swallow Bird’s Nest produced?

Swallow Bird’s Nest is produced by Swallow Bird’s Nest (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 Swallow Bird’s Nest is built primarily for laying eggs and housing the baby Swallow Bird’s Nest.
After the eggs have been laid and hatched, the baby Swallow Bird’s Nest will remain in the nest until it is able to fly away independently. The Swallow Bird’s Nest becomes abandoned and will never be re-used. If not harvested, scavengers such as ants, lizards and cockroaches will consume the Swallow Bird’s Nest.
Preparing and consuming Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy
Preparing and consuming Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy

2. How to identify the Genuine Swallow Bird’s Nest?

Swallow Bird’s Nest is an expensive and nutritious product. Thus, it is important to distinguish a genuine piece of Swallow Bird’s Nest. In the market, there are many unethical businessmen who would increase the weight of Swallow 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 whereas the inner part has finer, shorter filaments.
After Cooking: When double boiled for 1-2 hours the Swallow Bird’s Nest inner filaments become water-soluble.
The outer filaments contain mainly minerals; it is less soluble but gives Swallow Bird’s Nest its signature fibrous taste and appearance.
Odour: During double boiling a fine scent of near albumin smell will occur.
Much like the smell of faint cooked egg white.

3. How to cook the Swallow Bird’s Nest in slow cooker (or double boiler)

1) Soak the Swallow Bird’s Nest until soft in tap water. This may take up to an hour.
I usually consume one whole piece, which is actually quite alot. Is even sufficient for 2 people.
2) Add the softened Swallow Bird’s Nest, together with about 250mL of water. Using slow cooker or the double-boil method, no lost of water volume.
3) Switch on and turn to high. For my cooker, it takes about 45 mins if I started out with room temperature water. But it is much faster if I use hot water.
4) Add 2 tablespoon of rock sugar and further cook for another 5-10 minutes. Buying Swallow Bird’s Nest from Hello Nest, they will give free rock sugar or special dried lotus.
5) Serve warm or chilled. Wala!

4. How to cook Swallow Bird’s Nest with rock sugar in a double boiler (simple Swallow Bird’s Nest recipe)

- Prepare a double-boiler and fill the external pot with water that covers almost half the internal pot.
- Place the drained Swallow Bird’s Nest in the internal boiler and add 1 - 2 bowls of water depending of the pieces cooked.
- Cover both the internal and external pots and start boiling the pot.
- Once it's boiling, turn to low flame to continue to boil for another 2 - 3 hours.
- When the Swallow Bird’s Nest is cooked to desired texture, stir in rock sugar to taste and cover for about 5 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve fully
- Do remember to check the water in the external pot is not dried up and sufficient throughout the boil. Once cooked you can have your Swallow Bird’s Nest served hot or cold in a bowl depends on your preference.
You can also cook Swallow Bird’s Nest with rock sugar using a slow cooker like above method.

5. What are the health benefits of eating Swallow Bird’s Nest?

From the chemical analysis report of pure Swallow Bird’s Nest, we can identify soluble amino acids that will help to repair body cells and generate new cells. The antioxidant helps to eradicate free radicals in the body.
Swallow Bird’s Nest also contains EGF(epidermal growth factor) which produces an anti aging effect, making regular Swallow Bird’s Nest consumers young and radiant looking.
Many clinical trials of using Swallow Bird’s Nest as an anti-cancer food is now currently being conducted.

6. Why do Swallow Bird’s Nests come in different colors?

Thus it is a common misconception that blood nest is formed when the swiftlet vomits blood. Another misconception is that the swiftlet’s different diets give rise to different colour of nests.
When Swallow Bird’s Nest is first formed by the Swallow Bird’s Nest, they are white in colour; thus it is fair to say that white Swallow Bird’s Nest (Bai Yan) is the purest form of Swallow Bird’s Nest. As the Swallow Bird’s Nest spend more time in the house, natural fermentation of the nest gradually takes place and the nest absorbs minerals such as iron from the walls and water, slowly changing its color from white to yellow (Jin Si Yan) and then orange and finally red (Blood nest). Thus it is a common misconception that blood nest is formed when the swiftlet vomits blood. Another misconception is that the swiftlet’s different diets give rise to different colour of nests.

7. How to cook Swallow Bird’s Nest for pregnancy:

How to cook Swallow Bird’s Nest for pregnancy: here are easy steps for you
Ingredients:
1pc Dry Swallow Bird’s Nest
1 cup Hot water
1 cup Drinking water or boiled then cooled water, for soaking
5-6 pcs Rock/Lump sugar
How to cook Swallow Bird’s Nest for pregnancy: here are easy steps for you
Methods:
Step 1. Soak the dry Swallow Bird’s Nest in a bowl of water for about 30 minutes. Use drinking water or water that has been boiled and cooled down to soak the Swallow Bird’s Nest. After 30 minutes, carefully strain the Swallow Bird’s Nest and throw the water away.
Step 2. Put the soaked Swallow Bird’s Nest and pour 1 cup of hot water into a slow cooker. If you prefer thinner soup, you may add more hot water into the slow cooker. Cook the soaked Swallow Bird’s Nest and water in the slow cooker for about 2 hours.
Step 3. Once the Swallow Bird’s Nest is soft and cooked, add the rock sugar into the Swallow Bird’s Nest in the slow cooker and stir gently. You may add more rock sugar into the soup if you wish for sweeter Swallow Bird’s Nest. Turn the slow cooker off.
Step 4. Consume the Swallow Bird’s Nest when it is cooled.
I think the home-made Swallow Bird’s Nest tastes more natural and possesses a pretty strong 'egg-like' smell than instant or bottled Swallow Bird’s Nest drink bought from supermarkets or TCMshops. Nevertheless, the plain home-made Swallow Bird’s Nest is still bearable to drink.
I found this article that may be useful in preparing Swallow Bird’s Nest and alternatives in cooking home-made Swallow Bird’s Nest to make it more delectable by adding pandan leaves, dried red dates, dried longan, etc..

8. How often to eat Swallow Bird’s Nest ?

Scientifically, proteins which make up 60-70% of Swallow Bird’s Nest are eliminated within hours by enzymes in the body.
Furthermore, not all this proteins can be absorbed by the body. This means small and frequent dose of Swallow Bird’s Nest is much more effective, since excess Swallow Bird’s Nest generally gets eliminated and removed from the body.

How often to eat Swallow Bird’s Nest ?

Continuous dose is desirable to give you the sustained effect.
So how often to eat Swallow Bird’s Nest ? We recommend 5 g of dried Swallow Bird’s Nest (60-80 ml of Swallow Bird’s Nest) a day. A small amount of Swallow Bird’s Nest goes a long way towards preserving your health and beauty.

Swallow Bird’s Nest- A spoonful of legend


Properly known as Swallow Bird’s Nest, it’s been a prized delicacy in China and among Chinese people for 1,200 years. The best nests were reserved as gifts for emperors and empresses, who ruled China as gods incarnate.That’s how deep Swallow Bird’s Nests roots go into the collective Chinese soul.
Tiny Swallow Bird’s Nest use their sticky saliva to build nests onto seaside cliffs and cave walls, to save them from predators. That’s not enough to keep them away from the humans who consider the nest powerful medicine, and are therefore willing to pay more for the bird spit nests, pound for pound, than silver.
Swallow Bird’s Nest- A spoonful of legend
Swallow Bird’s Nest- A spoonful of legend

While trade in edible nests has been recorded since the T’ang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), famed 15th century Chinese admiral Zheng He is also credited with starting the Chinese belief in the medicinal powers of Swallow Bird’s Nest. As the story goes, shipwrecked sailors scavenging for food found the nests, and He told them to clean and cook them. A few days later, the sailors were full of vim and vigor, and He figured he should tell the emperor.
The nests have been credited with a long list of benefits, including ensuring strong children for pregnant women and erasing wrinkles for mature matrons, providing lifelong immunity boosts for children and enhancing sexual prowess for men.
Our GM, Elaine Dang, attests to the soup’s medicinal value; ”I drank this when i was young which is where i get my immunity from,” she happily concludes.
So how exactly does the soup taste like? ”The jellylike strands had a slippery spaghetti texture, yet no discernible taste beyond sweetness from the rock sugar the meticulously cleaned nests were steamed with. It occurred to me that here was a food whose value had nothing to do with its flavors or eating qualities, and everything to with its cultural history,” explains Andrew Z. Galarneau News Food Editor at BuffaloFood.
Recognizing their value, Thai, Burmese and Indonesian entrepreneurs have been building condos for edible nest Swallow Bird’s Nest, purpose-built structures as tall as apartment buildings. They’re honeycombed with alcoves where swifts can nest, lured by recorded swiftlet calls broadcast over loudspeakers.

Preparing and consuming Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy

Swallow Bird’s Nest is a chinese delicacy that is consumed by the high-ranking officials, wealthy people and the royal family in the past. Like the name suggests, it is the nest of swallows, and is thought to be rich in nutrients like collagen, amino acids and anti-oxidants. Until now, chinese have the tradition of consuming Swallow Bird’s Nest, especially during pregnancy and confinement to ‘bu’ the body.

1. How is Swallow Bird’s Nest produced?

Swallow Bird’s Nest is produced by Swallow Bird’s Nest (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 Swallow Bird’s Nest is built primarily for laying eggs and housing the baby Swallow Bird’s Nest.
After the eggs have been laid and hatched, the baby Swallow Bird’s Nest will remain in the nest until it is able to fly away independently. The Swallow Bird’s Nest becomes abandoned and will never be re-used. If not harvested, scavengers such as ants, lizards and cockroaches will consume the Swallow Bird’s Nest.

2. How to identify the Genuine Swallow Bird’s Nest?

Swallow Bird’s Nest is an expensive and nutritious product. Thus, it is important to distinguish a genuine piece of Swallow Bird’s Nest. In the market, there are many unethical businessmen who would increase the weight of Swallow 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 whereas the inner part has finer, shorter filaments.
After Cooking: When double boiled for 1-2 hours the Swallow Bird’s Nest inner filaments become water-soluble.
The outer filaments contain mainly minerals; it is less soluble but gives Swallow Bird’s Nest its signature fibrous taste and appearance.
Odour: During double boiling a fine scent of near albumin smell will occur.
Much like the smell of faint cooked egg white.

3. How to cook the Swallow Bird’s Nest in slow cooker (or double boiler)

1) Soak the Swallow Bird’s Nest until soft in tap water. This may take up to an hour.
I usually consume one whole piece, which is actually quite alot. Is even sufficient for 2 people.
2) Add the softened Swallow Bird’s Nest, together with about 250mL of water. Using slow cooker or the double-boil method, no lost of water volume.
3) Switch on and turn to high. For my cooker, it takes about 45 mins if I started out with room temperature water. But it is much faster if I use hot water.
4) Add 2 tablespoon of rock sugar and further cook for another 5-10 minutes. Buying Swallow Bird’s Nest from Hello Nest, they will give free rock sugar or special dried lotus.
5) Serve warm or chilled. Wala!

4. How to cook Swallow Bird’s Nest with rock sugar in a double boiler (simple Swallow Bird’s Nest recipe)

- Prepare a double-boiler and fill the external pot with water that covers almost half the internal pot.
- Place the drained Swallow Bird’s Nest in the internal boiler and add 1 - 2 bowls of water depending of the pieces cooked.
- Cover both the internal and external pots and start boiling the pot.
- Once it's boiling, turn to low flame to continue to boil for another 2 - 3 hours.
- When the Swallow Bird’s Nest is cooked to desired texture, stir in rock sugar to taste and cover for about 5 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve fully
- Do remember to check the water in the external pot is not dried up and sufficient throughout the boil. Once cooked you can have your Swallow Bird’s Nest served hot or cold in a bowl depends on your preference.
You can also cook Swallow Bird’s Nest with rock sugar using a slow cooker like above method.

5. What are the health benefits of eating Swallow Bird’s Nest?

From the chemical analysis report of pure Swallow Bird’s Nest, we can identify soluble amino acids that will help to repair body cells and generate new cells. The antioxidant helps to eradicate free radicals in the body.
Swallow Bird’s Nest also contains EGF(epidermal growth factor) which produces an anti aging effect, making regular Swallow Bird’s Nest consumers young and radiant looking.
Many clinical trials of using Swallow Bird’s Nest as an anti-cancer food is now currently being conducted.

6. Why do Swallow Bird’s Nests come in different colors?

Thus it is a common misconception that blood nest is formed when the swiftlet vomits blood. Another misconception is that the swiftlet’s different diets give rise to different colour of nests.
When Swallow Bird’s Nest is first formed by the Swallow Bird’s Nest, they are white in colour; thus it is fair to say that white Swallow Bird’s Nest (Bai Yan) is the purest form of Swallow Bird’s Nest. As the Swallow Bird’s Nest spend more time in the house, natural fermentation of the nest gradually takes place and the nest absorbs minerals such as iron from the walls and water, slowly changing its color from white to yellow (Jin Si Yan) and then orange and finally red (Blood nest). Thus it is a common misconception that blood nest is formed when the swiftlet vomits blood. Another misconception is that the swiftlet’s different diets give rise to different colour of nests.

7. How to cook Swallow Bird’s Nest for pregnancy:

How to cook Swallow Bird’s Nest for pregnancy: here are easy steps for you
Ingredients:
1pc Dry Swallow Bird’s Nest
1 cup Hot water
1 cup Drinking water or boiled then cooled water, for soaking
5-6 pcs Rock/Lump sugar
How to cook Swallow Bird’s Nest for pregnancy: here are easy steps for you
Methods:
Step 1. Soak the dry Swallow Bird’s Nest in a bowl of water for about 30 minutes. Use drinking water or water that has been boiled and cooled down to soak the Swallow Bird’s Nest. After 30 minutes, carefully strain the Swallow Bird’s Nest and throw the water away.
Step 2. Put the soaked Swallow Bird’s Nest and pour 1 cup of hot water into a slow cooker. If you prefer thinner soup, you may add more hot water into the slow cooker. Cook the soaked Swallow Bird’s Nest and water in the slow cooker for about 2 hours.
Step 3. Once the Swallow Bird’s Nest is soft and cooked, add the rock sugar into the Swallow Bird’s Nest in the slow cooker and stir gently. You may add more rock sugar into the soup if you wish for sweeter Swallow Bird’s Nest. Turn the slow cooker off.
Step 4. Consume the Swallow Bird’s Nest when it is cooled.
I think the home-made Swallow Bird’s Nest tastes more natural and possesses a pretty strong 'egg-like' smell than instant or bottled Swallow Bird’s Nest drink bought from supermarkets or TCMshops. Nevertheless, the plain home-made Swallow Bird’s Nest is still bearable to drink.
I found this article that may be useful in preparing Swallow Bird’s Nest and alternatives in cooking home-made Swallow Bird’s Nest to make it more delectable by adding pandan leaves, dried red dates, dried longan, etc..

8. How often to eat Swallow Bird’s Nest ?

Scientifically, proteins which make up 60-70% of Swallow Bird’s Nest are eliminated within hours by enzymes in the body.
Furthermore, not all this proteins can be absorbed by the body. This means small and frequent dose of Swallow Bird’s Nest is much more effective, since excess Swallow Bird’s Nest generally gets eliminated and removed from the body.

How often to eat Swallow Bird’s Nest ?

Continuous dose is desirable to give you the sustained effect.
So how often to eat Swallow Bird’s Nest ? We recommend 5 g of dried Swallow Bird’s Nest (60-80 ml of Swallow Bird’s Nest) a day. A small amount of Swallow Bird’s Nest goes a long way towards preserving your health and beauty.

Advantages and disadvantages of using the Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy pregnant mother to know


Swallow Bird’s Nest is rich in nutrients and is considered food for the king in ancient times. Today, Swallow Bird’s Nest is widely used with many different uses. In the framework of this article we will introduce to you how swifts are effective with pregnant and eating Swallow Bird’s Nest when pregnant

1. Origin of the Swallow Bird’s Nest

Swallow Bird’s Nest is a dish of ancient origins, derived from the ban on the Great Road.
During the breeding season, the swiftlet birds use their saliva to nest for about 30 days. The nest is shaped like a cup, clinging to the stone wall.
In the past, only kings, aristocrats, mandarins, and extremely wealthy families could use the nest.
Advantages and disadvantages of using the Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy pregnant mother to know
Advantages and disadvantages of using the Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy pregnant mother to know

2. The benefits and disadvantages of eating nest during pregnancy

In the nest is rich in nutrients, especially some rare nutrients. Previously used as a nourishing food as a food to maintain and maintain health.
The Swallow Bird’s Nest have the ability to increase immunity, help accelerate the process of cell regeneration, help patients recover health. Frequent use of Swallow Bird’s Nest can help women keep the youth, moisture, elasticity of the skin.
The Swallow Bird’s Nest works to beautify the skin, remove the “ugly” acne lesions on the mother’s skin. There are no accurate studies, but some mothers said that regularly drink Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy will help her baby smooth. The nest is also a nutritional food for pregnant mothers sick morning.
However, not everyone supports feeding the nest during pregnancy, after delivery and breastfeeding.
Cause the nest is cool food, which can cause asthma after birth. Others believe that eating nests during pregnancy can increase the possibility of allergies in the future.
Product quality is also one of the reasons why many mothers oppose eating nests. A lot of counterfeit goods, poor quality goods, using detergents for Swallow Bird’s Nest looks white and clean … are rampant in the market to worry many people

Best Swallow Bird’s Nest Recipe for Pregnancy Confinement.


In this article, you will learn and understand about why Swallow Bird’s Nest is beneficial as a pregnancy confinement tonic.
This is a Swallow Bird’s Nest recipe for pregnancy confinement that is very easy to prepare: Swallow Bird’s Nest with Ginseng and Rock Sugar.
This dish is suitable for consumption after the 12th day. Swallow Bird’s Nest contains soluble amino acids that will help to repair body cells and generate new cells. It also contains antioxidant that helps to eradicate free radicals in the body. Swallow Bird’s Nest also contains EGF (epidermal growth factor) which has an anti aging effect as it helps in the birth of cells and tissues. A comprehensive list of the health benefits of Swallow Bird’s Nest can be found in the next article (opens in a new window).
Pregnant woman who consume Swallow Bird’s Nest during pregnancy will improve their health and benefit the foetus. It is also used as a confinement food tonic to help stimulate appetite and aids in digestion. It also helps the body to repair the tissue and boost immunity.
Best Swallow Bird’s Nest Recipe for Pregnancy Confinement.
Best Swallow Bird’s Nest Recipe for Pregnancy Confinement.

Adding Ginseng to the Swallow Bird’s Nest can also help woman restores strength and energy after giving birth or severe loss of blood during child birth by improving blood circulation. It also helps to promote digestion and improves the mother’s appetite which ensures adequate production of breast milk for the new born child. In addition, ginseng can revitalise the body and aids in the recovery process of the operation by boosting the body’s immunity.

Ingredients (per bowl):

1 piece of Swallow Bird’s Nest
3 pieces of ginseng slices
5-6 piece of rock sugar according to personal taste preference

Cooking method:

Refer to the video above and fast forward to 1:04.

Why is confinement period important?

Giving birth to a child causes a lot of stress to a woman’s body. Excessive bleeding, sweating, body pains are some of the common problems. The confinement period has the objective of strengthening the mother’s body to its original health or even better, as well as to restore the uterus back to its original size.
Remember to also purchase Swallow Bird’s Nest from trusted source that sells only pure Swallow Bird’s Nest without any chemical added to it (you would not wish to spend money on a health tonic that harms your body instead of benefitting it). Prices of Swallow Bird’s Nest can also varies from wholesaler to retailer. Purchase it from a Swallow Bird’s Nest wholesaler directly to save more money.