Health Benefits of Birds Saliva Soup

Swiftlets’ nests (Mandarin: Yan Wo) have been a prized delicacy among the Chinese for hundreds of years. Made primarily of hardened swiftlets’ saliva, the nests are one of the five elite, highly prized foods in Chinese culture, with the others being fish maw, ginseng, abalone and sharks’ fin. Once reserved for the emperors, swiftlets’ nests are now available for mass consumption, with the market in Hong Kong alone worth more than three billion Hong Kong Dollars annually (about USD 400 million).

Introduction:

Swiftlets, from the genus Aerodramus, are small, insectivorous birds. While their habitat spans from the tropical areas of the Indian Ocean to the Pacific, only nests from four species of swiftlets in South East Asia are edible. The most common nests are from the white- and black-nest swiftlets, while red blood nests are believed to be the most nutritious. The birds’ traditional habitat is in limestone caves, with the males taking 35 days to build the nests. However, with the price of unprocessed nests steadily rising to its current price of up to USD 2,700 per kilogram, enterprising individuals are increasingly enticing the birds to nest in man-made environments, typically in customized buildings, to facilitate harvesting.

Health Benefits of Birds Saliva Soup

What is it that makes the Birds Saliva Soups so desirable among the Chinese?

Consisting of carbohydrates, proteins and small quantities of mineral salts, the Birds Saliva Soups are double boiled with rock sugar to make a sweet soup with gelatinous strands of nest. In traditional Chinese medical lore, the Birds Saliva Soup is believed to enhance health, promote longevity and boost the immune system. Others believe that the soup aids digestion and may be a natural Viagra.
Studies have shown that Birds Saliva Soup can boost the immune system by promoting cell division of immune cells. Additionally, Birds Saliva Soup extract is proven to promote epidermal growth factor activity, which in turn helps the proliferation, differentiation and development of cells. This is hypothesized to slow down the aging process by promoting cell renewal. Scientists in Japan also claim that the nests help to combat flu.
The carbohydrate in the nests is found to contain sialic acid and glucosamine. Some believe that an external source of sialic acid may enhance brain functions in infants. However, scientists have failed to reach a consensus on the issue. Glucosamine, on the other hand, is believed to help patients with osteoarthritis and others suffering from joint pain.
The Chinese are great believers in the medicinal properties of this delicacy. Although many of the health benefits of swiftlets’ nests remain unproven, the industry continues to thrive, with the market experiencing double digit growth in recent years.