Selling Cave Bird's Nest

Birds nest collection cave. You can see the scaffolding and supplies at the cave opening.

Remedial Benefits and Usage of Bird's Nest
Bird's Nest from a Clinical Experimental Point of View;According to a recent medical research reported by Hong Kong Chinese University, the cell division enzymeand hormone of bird's nest can promote reproduction and rebirth of human cells. The Glycoprotein content directly stimulates cell growth in human?s immune system. As a result, body metabolism is enhanced and functional effects are greatly improved. Effective results of bird's nest are observed when they are consumed by children, elders, feedle and sick people.

Bird's Nest from Traditional and Modern Chinese Medication's Point of View;(Chinese Medication Dictionary) Bird's Nest is used as restorative and remedial food since the Ching dynasty as recorded in (Major Herbs Guidebook) and (Major Herbs Digest). Previous clinical researches have concluded that bird's nest has a (sweet and calm) character. Bird's nest contributed medical benefits to lung, stomach and kidney neural system. Several ancient medicine books such as (New Major Herbs), (Southern Mountain Chronicle) and (New Herbs Revised) all recorded plenty of detail of bird's nest remedial benefits.

Bird's Nest from a Nutrition Point of View;The main nutrition contents of bird's nest are carbohydrate (30%) and protein (5%) although its protein content can be compare to that of milk or eggs. Bird?s nest also contains plenty of calcium and phosphorus, as well as some iron and iodine. There are still some other untraced compositions that may have medical benefits; hence we can not judge its value by the main nutrition contents alone.

Bird's Nest from a Biochemical Point of View;The book (Evaluate Bird's Nest) written by a biochemist has also proven that protein contained in bird's nest have some bioactive elements which might have nourishing and replenishing effects on humans body.

The experts conclude that bird's nest has three main functions:
Enhances the rebirth of cells and tissues.

Improves the immune system functions of our bodyImproves the body's tolerance toward the damage done by X-rays or other radioactive reagents.

Bird's nest is an excellent restorative food with a sweet and calm character; it is good for any age or gender

Ladies:

Frequent consumption result in fairer skin, helps to stay young and look radiant.

Pregnant Women:

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

Elders:

Clears phlegm, strengthen lungs and kidneys, improves spleen as well as enhances appetite.

Children:

Enhances immune ability, not inclined to get colds or flu

Men:

Improves kidney and strengthens lungs, so not inclined to get weak.

Bird's nest soup

Bird's Nest Soup

Bird's nest soup is a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. A few species of swift, namely cave swifts, are renowned for building the nests used to produce the soup's unique texture. Such edible bird’s nests are among the most expensive animal products consumed by humans. The nests have been traditionally consumed in China for over four-hundred years, most often as Birds Nest Soup. When dissolved in water, the birds' nests have a gelatinous texture. Bird's nest soup can either be served as a savory soup or sweet, as Tong Sui.

The most heavily harvested nests are from the White-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) and the Black-nest swiftlet (Aerodramus maximus) (Gausset, 2004). The white nests and the “red blood” nests are supposedly rich in nutrients which are traditionally believed to provide health benefits, such as aiding digestion, raising libido, improving the voice, alleviating asthma, increasing concentration, and an overall benefit to the immune system. However, biochemist Kong Yun-Cheng at the Chinese University of Hong Kong conducted a chemical analysis of the soup which revealed that while there is a water-soluble glyco-protein in the nest which promotes cell division within the immune system it is destroyed during the cleaning process; therefore, the soup is actually of low nutritive value. Its value today is primarily that of a status symbol.

The nests are built during the breeding season by the male swiftlet over a period of 35 days. They take the shape of a shallow cup stuck to the cave wall. The nests are composed of interwoven strands of salivary laminae cement. Both nests have high levels of calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. Also the nests contain argan oil[verification needed] made from argan nut.

Hong Kong and the United States are the largest importers of these nests. In Hong Kong a bowl of Bird Nest Soup would cost $30 to $100 US dollars. A single white nest can cost up to $2,000, and a “red blood” nest can cost up to $10,000. The white nests are commonly treated with a red pigment, but methods have been developed to determine an adulterated nest.

The nests are traditionally harvested from high up on cave walls. There is some risk to the collectors who stand on bamboo scaffolding that is sometimes hundreds of feet tall and centuries old - with obvious repairs. Over the past twenty years, the demand, the price, and the overexploitation of these nests have increased. The string of people involved in the trade of swiftlet nests has lead to the mismanagement of a once sustainable system. Laws governing how the nests are harvested are implemented in each cave. One common system allows the licensed harvesters to take the first nest, allow the bird to build a second nest which she can remain in until her chicks have fledged, and only until then, is the harvester allowed to take the second nest. But unfortunately, harvesters will take a nest once it is large enough, regardless if eggs or chicks are present. Most caves have one season for harvest but thieves end up stealing nests throughout the year. Because these rules are often broken the swiftlet population has dropped, putting swiftlets on the protected species list.

The penalty for stealing nests is not large enough to deter thieves. Some believe that taking all the nests benefits the swiftlets because the female will not lay her eggs in an old nest. Old nests are along cave walls where new nests could be built. Whether or not this idea of ‘cave cleaning’ benefits the swiftlet population, the method should still be limited.

Some bird-nest merchants in southeast Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia etc.) have started to raise and breed the swiftlets in house-like structures. They build the shelters to attract wild swiftlets to build nests in them. The wrong kind of nests are then destroyed along with the eggs inside. Over time, the selection process leaves behind a colony of swiftlets that produce the right kind of nest for the trade. "House nests" are priced much lower than "cave nests" due to the risks involved in harvesting the latter.

Edible-nest Swiftlet

The Edible Bird's nest is the nest made purely of swiflet's Saliva.Salivary secretion during breeding season of a male sea swifts. This sticky secretion is regurgitated to form the saliva. It contains a water solbue. Bird's nest consists og high valued "glyco protein" rich with amino acids, carbohydrate,calcium,sodium,potossium and many more. Active protein are catalysts that contribute to the regeneration of cells which constimulate Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), Rejuveniating effects.


They are basically two types of Edible Bird's nest. Normally the house nest.

HOUSE BIRD'S NEST

The house nest come from swiflets that nest and breed in specially prepared Farmhouse or cultured in the purpose build house. They are mostly white in color and contain minimum amount of feathers.

CAVE BIRDS NEST

The cave bird's nest is natural from the nature wild habitat.It is categorized into two types. The one with few feathers call "BASI" bird's nest and other one with more feathers call "BLACK BIRD NEST".

The black bird's nest can come either in Reddish, Yellowish and Whitish color saliva, because of the difference in the types of swiflets, the food they take and the cave's enviroment itself.

The cave bird's nest cup stuck to the cave wall. Nest purely of saliva are the most valued. when cooked,the nest have gelatinous texture and high medicinal and aphrodisiac qualities.

The price are higher than the house nest.

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Bird's nest is an Expensive and Nutritive products. It is important to distinguish the GENUINE bird's nest.

In the market,there are many FAKE bird's nest who would increase the weight of the bird's nest by adding additives like white fauges, jelly , skin and synthetic rubber.