Bird’s Nest? Eww! These Health Benefits Might Just Change Your Mind

Depending on your age or how you were brought up, the idea of eating bird’s nests, can either be a luxury or the most disgusting thing you’ve ever heard of. So, which one are you? Most of the older Chinese generation, like your grandparents or parents, see bird’s nests as a luxury. Something that is only meant to be consumed during special occasions or if you’ve got some cash to spare. It’s also something that you would eat once in a while. Not on a daily basis. What’s more, it can also be an excellent gift when you’re meeting the in-laws for the first time! They would definitely be delighted to receive such a delicacy, especially with all the health benefits it offers! Oh, you didn’t know? Well, Beauty Insider can help catch you up on what exactly bird’s nest has to offer. 

What is Bird’s Nest?

Bird’s nest is essentially bird spit. Yup, quite literally, it is the saliva of birds. This is the main reason many are opposed to drinking or even eating bird’s nest soup. We can confirm that most of us probably refused this delicacy at a young age when we knew what was really going into it. But regardless, many of us were forced to consume it anyway! Ahh, all for the health benefits that it offers kids right. Well besides that, bird’s nest is also a medicinal concoction that is believed to benefit your digestion, strengthen your immune system and the most important part, increase libido. Bird’s nest soup is also created by swiftlets, which are indigenous to Southeast Asia. Bird’s nest is also just saliva that has dried and hardened, but it isn’t as bad as it sounds! It can actually taste good, like dessert! 

Benefits of Bird’s Nest

Here is us convincing you that it’s not as disgusting as it sounds because it offers some pretty sick health benefits. 

Improves Skin Texture

We are no stranger to the fact that bird’s nest has the ability to improve our health. More importantly, its beauty benefits. Consuming bird’s nest has the ability to help beautify your skin and keep your complexion looking youthful and clear! Something that many strive to achieve. Because of this, many take it as a supplement or health food. It’s also the one way elders get youngers to consume bird’s nests. With the lure of beauty! All they have to say is that drinking it can make your skin looking brighter and make you beautiful! And you’ll be wishing to drink it every day. 

Easy Digestion & Rejuvenates Health

If you have slow or poor digestion, then bird’s nest is something that can help improve that. Children who suffer from poor appetites will also benefit from eating bird’s nests. It offers benefits to help ease your digestion and allow all the good nutrients to flow through! Thus, you can easily gain back your health! If you do get your hands on good quality bird’s nest, it also has the benefit to help restore the functions of your lungs. Even if you are suffering from chronic asthma or cough, it can help improve your condition. 

Supplement for Parental and Postnatal Health

There’s also a saying that if pregnant women consume bird’s nest, they are more likely to recover faster! They might also experience less hair loss and their babies may be delivered much more healthier and fair in skin tone. After labour though, it has the benefit to provide mothers with better sleep, more energy and a feeling of vitality. 

Anti-Ageing 

Many Chinese people, especially in Southeast Asia, love consuming bird’s nest because of its anti-ageing benefits! Some may even consume it on a regular basis in hopes of reversing the signs of ageing. Aside from that, those who do consume regularly, tend to report less sickness as they have a stronger immune system. They also tend to sleep better, have more energy, good virility and a good complexion. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine

From the view of traditional Chinese medicine, bird’s nest are recorded as homogenous, non-toxic and mild foods. Recorded in a book dating back to 1695, it notes that bird’s nests have the benefit to help treat internal organs such as the stomach, lungs and heart. 

Moisturising

Bird’s nest actually contains a special protein that has a similar structure to the Epidermal Growth Factor. Since it is similar to the EGF, it has the benefit to help generate new skin cells that will replace the old cells. Aside from that, it also has the benefits to help repair skin cells that have been damaged, as well as brighten your skin. 

Enhance Disease Prevention System

Bird’s nest also contains cyanic acid that allows it to inhibit melanin production. It does this by binding to viruses and inhibiting within the binding process that sits between the virus and cell surface receptors. Thus, it is able to prevent viruses from entering the cells and preventing viral infections like influenza.  

Excellent Nervous System

Since it also contains sialic acid, which is also the main component among the glycolipid group, it improves your memory as well. The glycolipid group is also part of the function of the brain and even has abilities to help reduce inflammation that happens in the nervous system. 

Blood Care

If you are suffering from any blood-related illnesses or health problems, bird’s nest can help. Even if you are just recuperating from an illness, it is important that your body receives nutrients that are nourishing. This allows you to recover healthily. 

Relieves Fatigue

For those that are always staying up late due to various reasons, bird’s nest might be your solution to relieving that exhaustion. Not only does it help balance your body, but it also provides your body with nutrients to replenish the fatigue you felt. 

How To Identify Fake Bird’s Nest

Now, because the bird’s nest industry is a bit lucrative, there are times where you might get cheated from the real deal. So, to help make sure that you don’t fall victim to their antiques, here’s how you can always get the real deal.

First off, you could save yourself from the potential of drama by buying your bird’s nest straight from a trusted and established retailer. Since they’ve been in business for so long, they’ll usually have a better track record. But always make sure to do your research first if you are unsure. 

Before purchasing and giving them your money, inspect the shape and colour of the bird’s nest. If you’ve got your hands on the real deal, it should look translucent in colour, but not reflective or even pure white. Take note that bird’s nest are a product of nature. So no two are ever alike, which means that if you see that are identical, chances are it’s fake. 

Another method you can try is by sniffing it out. A real bird’s nest should smell fishy and fakes will typically smell like plastic. You could also try to break it, which isn’t quite recommended? But if it’s impossible to break, then it’s definitely not real. 

If you’ve already got your hands on bird’s nest, try soaking it in water. If the colour changes after hours of soaking, then you’ve got to throw it out! Fakes tend to be dyed in unnatural colours and will bleed out when soaked. This is to trick people into thinking that it’s of high quality. In reality, the water should stay clear when being soaked. 

Fun Facts to Know 

#1 – Harvesting bird’s nests traditionally are quite dangerous. Since they are located in high coastal caves, harvesters face immense danger when scaling the walls of the cave. Besides that, cleaning is also a pain as all the impurities need to be removed before you can consume it. 

#2 – The larger the bird’s nest, the more expensive it will be. The highest grades are 90% edible and have thicker strands. They also have stronger aromas when cooked and are usually gold, white or blood-red. 

#3 – When we say bird’s nest, we aren’t taking away the homes of the little swiftlets. The birds tend to go on vacation once all the babies can fly and their nests are typically abandoned. During the next mating season, they will rebuild, so we aren’t destroying any of their homes! 

So, now that you know all the benefits bird’s nest have to offer, you can finally try it out for yourself! We know it’s tempting, so if you do, let us know on our Instagram and Facebook! Make sure to follow us for more of the latest beauty trends and news too! Do check out our Insider Mall to Shop Beauty! Get Rewarded!