Edible Bird's Nest

Traditionally, bird's nest soup is believed to have cooling properties, improves general pregnancy's well-being and is potentially good for the unborn baby's complexion. Some Chinese expectant mothers would consume bird's nest soup or drinks regularly during their pregnancy or maybe starting in their second tri-semester onwards. I personally was always resistant in purchasing or consuming edible bird's nest soup during my pregnancy because Bird's nests are very expensive and such luxury products to consume. Some Chinese expectant mothers would consume bird's nest soup or drinks regularly during their pregnancy or maybe starting in their second tri-semester onwards 1. How often to eat bird nest soup ? How often to eat bird nest soup Scientifically, proteins which make up 60-70% of bird's nest are eliminated within hours by enzymes in the body. Furthermore, not all this proteins can be absorbed by the body. This means small and frequen...

Edible Bird's nest is a chinese delicacy that is consumed by the high-ranking officials, wealthy people and the royal family in the past. Like the name suggests, it is the nest of swallows, and is thought to be rich in nutrients like collagen, amino acids and anti-oxidants. Until now, chinese have the tradition of consuming bird nest, especially during pregnancy and confinement to ‘bu’ the body. Bird nest is a chinese delicacy that is consumed by the high-ranking officials, wealthy people and the royal family in the past 1. How is Bird Nest produced? Bird Nest is produced by Swiftlets (Collocalia species). They use a glutinous secretion, also known as “nest cement” to bind together materials for nest building, or construct a whole nest with it. The nest cement is secreted from a pair of sublingual glands located beneath the tongue of the swiftlet. A Swiftlet Bird Nest is built primarily for laying eggs and housing the baby Swiftlets. The nest cement is secret...

Should you introduce bird’s nest soup to your little baby? How about ginseng and pearl powder? The answer is: no, no, no. Here’s why. 1. BIRD’S NEST SOUP Pricey as it may be, bird’s nest soup is an allergenic food that can cause symptoms such as vomiting, rashes and abdominal pains. This is especially so if other family members are allergic to the protein found in it. That’s why Charlotte Lin, dietician at National University Hospital, suggests introducing this Chinese delicacy to your child only after he turns one. 2. GINSENG The doting grandma may want to brew double-boiled ginseng soup for the family, but this is one herb you’ll want your baby to steer clear of, unless advised otherwise by a physician. “Panax ginseng is unsafe for kids and can cause infant death as a result of intoxication,” cautions Charlotte. Senior physician Zhou Yan from Eu Yan Sang explains: “Some physicians may advise against eating particular types of ginseng when the baby suffers...