Are Swiftlet’s Nests Vegan Food?

Swiftlet’s Nest, also know as cubilose, is a popular delicacy in Asia, made from the salivary excretions of swallows. Instead of twigs and straw, the swiftlet makes its nest from strands of gummy saliva along with other materials. The nest is created to look like a shallow cup placed on the wall of a cave. The saliva, will harden into tightly woven strands. The saliva is considered the cement that holds the entire nest together, and the strands are interwoven throughout the nest. Impurities woven into the strands must be picked out prior to consumption. Once the nests are harvested, they are cleaned and sold as a delicacy to restaurants and individuals for consumption. They are mostly harvested in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the south of China.

“Can vegetarians eat Swiftlet’s Nests?”

In a span of 3 days, coincidentally, I have been asked this question 3 times. (1) By a FaceBook Fan who dropped us a message. (2) By a Chinese restaurant owner whom we are partnering with. (3) By a Finance and HR Head of a local IT company whom would like to engage us for our health talk.

It is a very good question, and I’m pretty sure there have been debates on whether or not Swiftlet’s Nest is suitable for vegetarians. So, is it a nest? (which also means it is a non-living object) Or, is it an animal by-product?

Firstly, let us take a look at what Swiftlet’s Nests are made of. Swiftlet’s Nests are made from the salivary excretions of swallows.The gummy saliva, will harden into tightly woven strands. The saliva is considered the cement that holds the entire nest together, and the strands are interwoven throughout the nest. Such salivary excretions is super rich in nutrients, almost 100% proteins and essential amino acids. The birds made their nests for the sole purpose of laying eggs in the nests, and they will abandon the nest after the chicks have hatched. After which, these nests would be harvest by humans as health/tonic foods.

Are Swiftlet’s Nests Vegan Food?

Next, we consider the common definition of a vegetarian: a person who does not eat or does not believe in eating meat, fish, fowl, or, in some cases, any food derived from animals, such as eggs, milk, or cheese, but subsists on vegetables, fruits, nuts, grain, etc. In additional, the choice of being a vegetarian may also be influenced by either moral, religious, and/or health reasons.

An interesting comparison is this: Can one compare the saliva of the swalllows, or swiftlets, to say milk or cheese, which are also derived from within an animal? Or, should one view the nest as a natural object, which contains a high concentration of amino acids?

Depending on how one interprets the definition of vegetarian, and what is one’s reason(s) behind being a vegetarian, Swiftlet’s Nests (which technically is an animal’s saliva and not an animal’s body part) may, or may not be considered as vegetarian food. It would be up to the individual to consider the above factors, and form an opinion on his/her own based on their beliefs.

Just as there are vegetarians who consume eggs and cheese, there are vegetarians who consume Swiftlet’s Nests.

What are Swiftlet’s Nests

Swiftlet’s Nest, also know as cubilose, is a popular delicacy in Asia, made from the salivary excretions of swallows. Instead of twigs and straw, the swiftlet makes its nest from strands of gummy saliva along with other materials. The nest is created to look like a shallow cup placed on the wall of a cave. The saliva, will harden into tightly woven strands. The saliva is considered the cement that holds the entire nest together, and the strands are interwoven throughout the nest. Impurities woven into the strands must be picked out prior to consumption. Once the nests are harvested, they are cleaned and sold as a delicacy to restaurants and individuals for consumption. They are mostly harvested in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the south of China.

Swiftlet’s Nests are considered to be high in nutrients; especially proteins, calcium, potassium and other minerals, traditionally believed to provide a wondrous array of health benefits. These include aiding digestion, soothing sore throats, alleviating asthma, improving focus, and an overall benefit to the immune system.

Classification of Swiftlet’s Nests and how to choose Swiftlet’s Nests

Swiftlet’s Nest is a general term used to describe the nests of birds belonging to the Apodidae family.

The key categories for consumption are:

1. Swiftlet’s Nest (Bai Yan, being more than 90% pure saliva),
2. feather nest (mixture of saliva and feathers), and
3. grass nest (mixture of grass, twigs, feathers and saliva).

Among these, Swiftlet’s Nest is the most popular, and the best types. Swiftlet’s Nests can also be classified as(1) cave nest and (2) house nest, and the nests are named according to where they are built and harvested. So, what are cave nests and what are house nests?

Some people thought that house nests are made or manufactured, OR, they think that the swiftlets which build their nests in houses are reared birds.

Not true.

Swiftlets naturally build their nests in caves, but it is dangerous, difficult, and time consuming for man to harvest the cave nests from very high cave walls and cave ceilings. Cave nests generally cost more. Also, the environment in a cave is less hygienic and cannot be controlled. More efforts are required to thoroughly clean cave nests.

So, man is smart. They started building tall airy structures, which stimulate the conditions in a cave, in the natural habitat of the swiftlets. To attract the birds to come into these houses to build their nests. The environment in these houses are much cleaner than in a cave and can be controlled. Which also means, better quality and larger nests can be harvested from bird houses, and at a lower cost too.

Swiftlet’s Nests come in the colours blood red, orange, yellow and white, generally depending on the colour of the natural food which the bird consumes everyday. Therefore, the colour of the Swiftlet’s Nests is not necessarily an indication of their nutritional values. White nests, being “young nests” made from pure fresh saliva of the birds, are a common type of house nests that are harvested in the early stages of the life cycle of the Swiftlet’s Nests.

Grading of nests

Saliva white nest produced by swiftlets (Bai Yan) are considered the one of the purest, finest and most nutritious. They are sold in different shapes, hence the grading of nests (listed from lowest to highest grade) as follows: nest chips, nest thread, nest cake, nest stripes and complete “cup-shaped” whole nest. Complete cup shaped nests, also known as whole nests, or Yan Zhan (燕盏), are the most valuable ones, typically graded Super A Grade.

Healing Powers of Swiftlet’s Nest Remain Mysterious

At as much as $4,500 per pound, Swiftlet’s Nests are among the most expensive foods on the planet.

Made from the saliva of cave-dwelling birds called swiftlets, 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, Swiftlet’s Nests 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. Swiftlet’s Nests "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. .
Swiftlets 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. [Amazing Caves: Photos of Earth's Innards]
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. Swiftlet’s Nests 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.

Classification by Country of Origin

Swiftlet’s Nest only originate from South East Asia.
1) Indonesia – Texture is smoother, softer and cleaner with fewer impurities as the majority of the nests are harvested from Indonesia’s house nests. Indonesia produces approximately 80% of the world’s supply. Prices are generally lower.
2) Thailand – These Swiftlet’s Nests are thicker and firmer with higher density thus it requires more soaking and cooking time. As the majority of the nests are cultivated from the caves with a small production volume, the prices are generally higher.
3) Malaysia – With higher production of feather prime nests Swiftlet’s Nest, Swiftlet’s Nest from Malaysia are usually processed into cakes and prices are low.
4) Vietnam – These Swiftlet’s Nest are higher quality and richer taste and aroma due to an ideal environment conditions for Swiftlet’s Nest in Vietnam. Swiftlet’s Nest here are limited in supply and prices are higher.

Classification by Shape and Size

Being a natural food product, Swiftlet’s Nest come in many different shapes and sizes:
1) Cup – Whole nest that ranges from large to extra large size (top grade).
2) Triangle – Triangular shaped Swiftlet’s Nest that are medium in size.
3) Strips – Broken pieces from whole Swiftlet’s Nest,
4) Cakes – Tiny Swiftlet’s Nest pieces that are shaped into the shape and size of a biscuit.

Classification by Terrain

Swiftlet’s Nests are harvested from only two types of terrain shown below:
1) House Nest – Swifts build their nests inside a house located near to the sea where the environment is ideal and more controlled; therefore leading to fewer impurities and feathers in the Swiftlet’s Nest.
2) Cave Nest – Swifts build their nests on mountain and rock caves and cliffs near the sea. The natural climate and environment affects the texture which tends to be stiffer and harder. But generally cave nests contain more foreign materials and feathers than house nests.

Classification by pre-cleaning quality

Type of Swiftlet’s Nest prior to cleaning processing.
1) Premium (Aerodramus Fuciphagus) nests – Consist of 95% saliva and 5% feathers
2) Feather prime nests – Consist of 50% saliva and 50% feathers
3) Grass nests – Consist of 5% saliva with grass and twigs