Text: Panda Science Popularization Officer
Editor|Panda Science Popularization Officer
Is bird's nest really made with saliva?
There is a reason why bird's nests are expensive, as the production of bird's nest requires a complex process to complete, and bird's nest is the swallow's nest as the name suggests. However, not all swallows' nests can be eaten, and the bird's nests we eat in our daily lives are a special kind of swallow's nest. So how exactly is bird's nest made?
Explore the dwelling place of swallows, the mystery of bird's nest
Bird's nest has been endowed with mysterious colors since ancient times, it is not only the abode of swallows, but also a precious ingredient in the eyes of people. But the true source of bird's nest is not the common swallow we are familiar with, but a special swallow called swiftlet that belongs to the swift family. These swallows inhabit the distant regions of Southeast Asia, and they build their nests with their own saliva, forming what we call bird's nests.
The formation of bird's nests is full of hardships, and every year from February to April, swiftlets use the sticky saliva secreted by their throats to build nests in the air, and these saliva quickly dry out to form a hard nest.
The nest made by swiftlets during this time period is the best, because the nests in the body of swiftlets are full of nutrients during this time period, so the bird's nest spit out by swiftlets during this time period is the most nutritious.
Bird's nests generally originate from some parts of Southeast Asia, where the environment provides a natural nesting environment for swiftlets. Swiftlets have always been more cautious, so when building nests, they will also choose a safer place to settle down, which not only protects their own safety, but also provides an important guarantee for the quality of bird's nests, and the environment is a key position for swallows to build nests.
Fortunately, there are also a small number of swiftlets in Hainan Island, China, which can produce bird's nests, and the unique climate, abundant food resources and man-made environmental measures make it safe for swiftlets to thrive. However, in order to protect resources and ecological environment, our country has taken measures to protect the safety of swiftlets.
Bird's nest does have a certain nutritional value, and the content of bird's nest acid is also very high, which has also become an important criterion for measuring real and fake bird's nest, because in addition to having antioxidant effects, bird's nest acid is also considered to have a nourishing and health effect on the human body.
Bird's nest is also rich in minerals, especially the mineral penetration from the nesting site of swiftlets, and the amount and type of minerals that seep into the bird's nest are beyond people's control. Therefore, when enjoying bird's nest, we must choose a regular and guaranteed merchant and avoid buying products that contain too many minerals, so as not to cause certain effects on our health.
There are many types of bird's nests, and there is a kind of bird's nest that is called "blood bird's nest", but more and more people are realizing that the so-called "blood bird's nest" is just ordinary bird's nest made by artificial processing. The blood swallow got its name because its appearance color is similar to the bright red bird's blood, giving people the illusion of ornamental value, however, the blood swallow does not have real "blood", but only gives it a special appearance through artificial dyeing technology.
Discussion on the types and nutritional value of bird's nest
Bird's nest, as a precious food made from swiftlets, has been a luxury on the Oriental table since ancient times. However, there have always been different opinions about the types of bird's nest and its nutritional value.
The main ingredient of bird's nest is the saliva of the swallow, which is mixed with the down feathers, seaweed, moss and branches of the swallow, and the saliva of the swallow contains a special substance that can make the nest of the swiftlet dry out quickly.
House nests are swiftlets that nest in artificially built swiftlet houses, usually the nest only has ivory white, a standard color, the whiter the color of the bird's nest, the simpler its composition, the lower the content of harmful substances and cleaner.
The quality and price of edible bird's nest are related to factors such as the color, shape, size, cleanliness and moisture content of the bird's nest.
However, pure white bird's nest is relatively rare in the market, and because the artificially built bird's nest environment is relatively easier to control, the nest safety and hygiene of house nests are generally higher than that of cave nests, and in terms of bird's nest quality, house nests can also be comparable to cave nests.
As a traditional tonic, bird's nest has attracted much attention because of its unique taste and cultural value, but from the perspective of modern nutrition, the nutrients of bird's nest are not irreplaceable, and some nutrients can be supplemented by other cheaper and easily available foods. When consumers buy bird's nest, they should look at its nutritional value rationally and make an informed choice based on their actual needs.
Swiftlet's unique lifestyle
There are many types of swallows in nature, but swiftlets are an exception because only swiftlets' nests have a certain nutritional value and are widely distributed. They mainly live in a warmer zone.
Swiftlets can't be artificially bred for the time being, they especially like to eat some small insects, they especially like to fly in the air, and swiftlets use the most unique way of flying, if they are thirsty, they use low-altitude flight to keep their mouths close to the water, and drink rain while flying.
In order to ensure the safety of bird's nest, people have adopted the method of building a bird's nest on the indoor board wall, so that the bird's nest will not be polluted by animal excrement from the inside of the cave, ensuring the hygiene, safety and reliability of the bird's nest.
Uncover the secret of bird's nest making process
The production process of bird's nest, a precious ingredient that has been given the reputation of nourishing and nourishing the skin, is far more complex and delicate than you think. When picking bird's nests, people will be very careful for fear of causing harm to the swallows, so the pickers will treat the house nests with respect, and they also know that it is not easy for swallows to grow up, so in order not to affect their breeding ability, they only pick the empty nests left after they grow.
The most tedious step is to deal with the impurities of the bird's nest, in the beginning, after the workers prepare the raw materials, put the bird's nest into the custom bird's nest mold, and gently sprinkle water to soften it, after the specified time arrives, it will also be easier to deal with the impurities attached to the bird's nest.
The production process of bird's nest not only dances the wisdom of the craftsmen, but also exudes feelings of ecological balance and respect for life. Whether it is the careful care of bird's nest farmers or the careful selection of bird's nest workers, behind each bird's nest is the hard work of countless hands. With the continuous improvement of people's demand for healthy life, bird's nest is also consumed by many people as a natural supplement.
However, the nutritional value of bird's nest is not as some people describe, and bird's nest does have a certain nutritional value, but it has not reached the realm of supernatural beauty. It is not easy for swiftlets to make a nest, and the complex process of bird's nest from picking to processing and finally packaging requires a lot of effort, which is the main reason why the price of bird's nest is expensive.