Why is Swiftlet’s Nest good for us?

Swiftlet’s Nest contains glycoprotein & amino acid and is rich in mineral content such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, carbohydrate, iron and iodine - nutrients that have many benefits to the body, such as improve metabolism, tissue and cell growth; and enrich vital energy.

What exactly is this Swiftlet’s Nest?

Swiftlet’s Nest refers to the saliva produced by the Swiftlet birds, while making its nest. The saliva acts as glue, pasted to form a thin flaky wall in the nest. When the saliva comes in contact with air, it hardens and a white Swiftlet’s Nest cup is formed. The entire process takes around 30 days.

The saliva, though moist and in liquid form when produced, will harden into a type of strands. The saliva is considered the cement that holds the entire nest together, and the strands are interwoven throughout the nest. The strands should look almost completely gapless in order to protect the chick during reproduction. Woven into the strands are bits of impurities or items which must be picked out prior to consumption. These impurities can include twigs, mud, or feathers.

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

Why is Swiftlet’s Nest good for us?

Experts have concluded that Swiftlet’s Nest have three main functions:

• Enhance the rebirth of cells and tissues
• Improve the immune system
• Strengthen the body health and accelerate recovery from illness

Who should consume Swiftlet’s Nest?

According to the traditional Chinese medicine, Swiftlet’s Nest is a great food for all ages and gender.

Ladies - Frequent consumption results in fairer skin - helps you stay young and look radiant.

Pregnant women - Consumption during pregnancy improves the immune functions of the fetus and mothers will be able to recover easily after giving birth.

(Note: Please consult your doctor before consuming Swiftlet’s Nest as suitability depends on individual's body system. Best consume after 5th month of pregnancy.)

Elderly - Clears phlegm, strengthens lungs and kidneys, improves spleen as well as enhances appetite.

Children - Enhances immune ability, resulting in less vulnerability to colds or flu.

(Note: Best consumed age 3 and above)

Men - Improves kidneys and strengthens lungs, and therefore less inclined to get weak.

Tips: Swiftlet’s Nest do not cause allergy, unless you are allergic to other product content in the process which we have not.

How often can I eat Swiftlet’s Nest? Can I eat too much Swiftlet’s Nest?

Swiftlet’s Nest can be consumed daily. An average person can consume anything between 3g to 5g of dry Swiftlet’s Nest. Any excess consumption will be discharged by the body.

When is the best time to consume Swiftlet’s Nest?

It is best to take a spoon of Swiftlet’s Nest in the morning when the body is fresh and the stomach is empty, ready to take full benefit of Swiftlet’s Nest. It is also best before sleep as the rich antioxidants will help the body to eradicate free radicals as the body heals during our sleep.

Protein
About half the Swiftlet’s Nest comprises of protein. Protein is a macronutrient that the human body needs in relatively large amounts. First, it provides the essential amino acids that our own tissues can't produce. Secondly, protein provides nitrogen to produce non-essential amino acids and other nitrogen-containing compounds.

Amino Acid Swiftlet’s Nest contains 19 amino acids such as arginine cystein, histidine tryptophan, etc. Amino acids can be best described as the construction blocks from which protein is made.

Glucosamine (N – acetylglucosamine)
Glucosamine is a natural substance that is found in cartilage, which is the padding between the bones of a joint like hip or knee. When the cartilage starts to wear away, the bones begin to rub against each other as called osteoarthritis. Glucosamine is also a supplement that may help to reduce osteoarthritis pain and stiffness, and improve movement, especially in the knee.

Sialic Acid (N - acetylneuraminic acid : NANA)
N-Acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac or NANA) is the predominant sialic acid found in mammalian cells. It is found in complex glycans on mucins and glycoproteins at the cell membrane. Neu5Ac residues are also found in glycolipid, a crucial component of neuronal membranes found in the brain. Along with involvement in preventing infections (mucus associated with mucous membranes — mouth, nose, GI, respiratory tract), Neu5Ac acts as a receptor for influenza viruses.

Galactosamine (N-Acetylgalactosamine)
Galactosamine is a constituent of hyaluronic acid, a potent water-binding agent. Hyaluronic acid is found in many types of tissues, including brain, skin and connective tissues. It acts as a lubricating agent. Medicine makes use of hyaluronic acid in wound or burn dressings, during cataract or corneal transplantation surgery, as an osteoarthritis treatment and as a plastic surgery aid.

Minerals
Various types of minerals like zinc, copper, iron, sodium, phosphorous have also been found in analyses of Swiftlet’s Nest. These minerals are essential as 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 damage to our body. Health problems such as heart disease, muscular degeneration, diabetes, cancer, etc. are all contributed by oxidative damage.
Antioxidants may also boast our immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.

“It’s good for you. Food and medicine are inextricably linked everywhere in China"

God, I shouldn’t have come, I told myself in a hurried panic. What began as a pleasant enough baijiu-fueled traditional Chinese wedding quickly descended into madness as small bowls of Swiftlet’s Nest were distributed around the table, one by one. At last, my time had come. “It’s good for you. Food and medicine are inextricably linked everywhere in China,” my new friend, Alex, insisted as he filled my bowl to the brim. “Plus, it’s really damn expensive.” I was cornered.
Swiftlet’s Nest is rumored to have a history that stretches as far back as the Ming Dynasty, when the admiral Zheng He was stranded on a remote Southeast Asian island without any food or water. After failing to find anything vaguely recognizable, Zheng and his troops reluctantly settled on the ovular Swiftlet’s Nest scattered around the island. Certain that these delicate, air-filled nests would offer no sustenance whatsoever, they were pleasantly surprised by how rapidly their energy was replenished. Upon returning to Chinese soil, Swiftlet’s Nest were offered to the emperor as gifts. They became a regional sensation and at the height of the Ming era, domestic supplies could not keep up with impossibly high demand. Swiftlet’s Nest became a sought-after symbol of prosperity, class, and refinement. This reputation would stretch into the modern era. Much later, during the terror of Mao Zedong’s rule, the dish was banned for its decadence and association with “capitalist roaders.”

I was thankful for Alex’s history lesson; procrastination at its finest. I suggested a round of baijiu shots in a desperate attempt to distract from the scalding soup sitting in front of me. I soon regretted my decision. Though bird farmers are infamously private when it comes to their craft, one of our tablemates decided to tell me about the birds in excruciating detail. As it turns out, Swiftlet’s Nest are remarkable because the birds bind them together with saliva and pre-digested seaweed, as opposed to repurposed twigs and vegetation.
Wanting to get this over with, I impulsively went in for a bite, one that was probably far too ambitious for a first taste.

Meaty taste was unlike anything I had ever encountered

The soup itself wasn’t all that flavorful. Still, the second the spoon touched my tongue, I couldn’t help but be confused. The combination of a gelatinous, jelly-like consistency with a savory, meaty taste was unlike anything I had ever encountered. I wondered if uncooked bouillon cubes were anything like this. Individual nest strands were visible; translucent and slippery, they resembled thickened vermicelli noodles. I found myself chewing for at least a minute with each bite. Another round of baijiu shots felt appropriate.
I asked Alex why he wasn’t given a bowl. “Me? I would never,” he admitted while chuckling. “This was a lesson for you, little brother. At least your skin will look great in the morning.”