Bird’s Nest Soup
Bird’s nest soup is a prized luxurious delicacy in Chinese cuisine for centuries. Deemed as a “cooling” food, it is consumed to restore health, repair skin, to keep skin young and supple and even used as an aphrodisiac.
Bird nest, having a high nutritional as well as medicinal value can be taken to strengthen the lungs and used for treating body heatiness and ailments pertaining to respiratory system such as coughs, colds and asthma. Patients who are recovering from illness or surgery have also been recommended to take bird nest to complement with other treatments as it promotes cell growth, tissue repair and provides resistance to diseases.
Other than health benefits, it is mostly valued by women for improving skin texture. Pregnant ladies consumed bird nest believing that their babies will be born with smooth and beautiful complexion.
Bird’s nests are made of long thin strands of saliva from the Swifts (small fast birds found in Southeast Asia), which wove their nest using their spit and built them high on cave walls. The spittle is known to contain proteins, minerals and vitamins such as phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
It used to be expensive as the tasks of retrieving the nests from immense heights are both dangerous and laborious. However, nowadays with the increase in safety standards and bird nests being farmed in commercial apiaries, such delicacy has become more affordable and easily available.
Tags: bird's nest soup
Health and Beauty | jan1003 July 4, 2009 | 
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