The medical hall lady told me now it's time to drink Bird's Nest. Yippee! I'm jumping up for joy. And the best part is I can get to drink it once a week. Hey! I only get this kind of nice treat during my pregnancy hor?? Non-pregnant years, I can only ration the bird's nest and drink once a month. Of course with the help from mom, who will help me boil it with 泡参. This time round (second pregnancy), she says I can just boil with honey sugar and 枸杞. Whatever it is, I always take my time to savour every mouthful and lick the bowl. Haha!
She's actually recommended a better Bird's Nest 白官燕 for me. Claiming that the normal Bird's Nest will not be suitable for my consumption during my confinement. Mom saw the box and says 白官燕 is really good. Yah, like I know anything else except to open my mouth and eat!That box of approx 14 small pieces costs $560. Argh!
Footnote:
Just in case, you're reading this and hoping to get tips from me on what herbs to take during pregnancy. Please do not follow my prescriptions, as it's based on individual's health and the sequence of pregnancy (I had different herbs given with my earlier pregnancy). Some pregnant women takes 十三胎宝 which is entirely different from what I'm taking. So please do not self-medicate.
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WHAT IS BIRD'S NEST?
Bird's nest is a highly-prized delicacy discovered during the Tang Dynasty in China. At that time, it was only consumed by the Emperors and their families.
Bird's nest is a white substance extracted from swallows' nests. It is normally found in places such as steep deep caves and crags.
This unique Asian delicacy undergoes an intensive and complex cleansing process before it can be consumed. The raw bird's nest is first soaked for up to 48 hours before it can be thoroughly cleaned of impurities such as feathers and twigs.
BIRD'S NEST IS ESPECIALLY BENEFICIAL FOR:
Woman: It is known for its unique ability to prevent internal dryness due to ageing and is consumed to maintain youthfulness and a smooth, wrinkle-free complexion.
Elderly and children: It helps to stimulate appetite and aid digestion.
Patients: It speeds up recovery from illness and surgery as it provides a unique pre-digested form of protein and nutrients.
Expectant mothers: Pregnant woman and their foetus can benefit greatly from eating bird's nest. The regular consumption can increase nutrition and improve the health of the pregnant woman and foetus. The body and the immunity of the foetus can be strengthened and its mind activated. This thereby provides a firm foundation for future development. Woman consuming edible bird's nests after giving birth can also recover quicker and slim rapidly, helping to regain their youthful appearance.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A BIRD'S NEST
* Shape and volume : the best bird’s nests is in the shape of a boat or spoon. Bird’s nest can be triangular in shape if they have been built in the corner of two adjacent walls. However for nutritional value the shape does not matter. Bird’s nests that are broader in width rank higher. The real bird’s nest should be in a natural shape.
* Color and Purity : The best bird’s nest should be of natural colour, containing no mud and other impurities like moss. The colour of the white nest is an actual ivory. The yellow nest and the bloodyred nest are coloured straw and red, respectively. The variations and intensity in the colour are due to the difference in the mineral constituents of the food the swallow ate. The bird’s nests, regardless of their colour, swell when soaked in clear water. The colouration in the bird’s nest will fade and the nest threads look transparent after swelling. However, the water used for soaking should still remain transparent and colourless.
* Density and Swelling Capacity : Bird’s nests that have finer and denser nest threads appear almost gapless. They are bigger and thicker in volume and should have a higher swelling capacity. The swelling capacity refers to the water holding ability of a bird’s nest. The higher the swelling capacity, the greater the bird’s nest distends after immersion in water. Bird’s nests of different categories show different magnitudes of swelling capacity, i. e. the ratio between the weight of the bird’s nest before and after swelling can be different. The swelling capacity should be measured by weight instead of by volume.
* Flavor and Dryness : Bird’s nest should be selected by smell. A real bird’s nest retains a little bit of a fishy smell of the swallow’s saliva. When cooked, it releases a light aroma resembling the aroma of an egg white. It is essential to select a dry bird’s nest. A bird’s nest that is sticky and soft is certainly not dry enough. A wet bird’s nest weighs heavier thus the price will be overcharged from the extra weight. A wet bird’s nest would not be convenient for storage as it would attract mould easily and has a low swelling capacity.
* Price and Creditability : Bird’s nests should be purchased in person and selected by “looking”, “smelling” and “touching”. The price of the bird’s nest should be weighed against the flavor, size, thickness of the nest, fineness of the threads, dryness, and a good swelling capacity. It is not possible to buy a good quality bird’s nest at fair price if the goods have not been examined and the quality and category evaluated. The most trustful way to purchase a high quality bird’s nest is to buy from shops having a good reputation and guaranteed quality.
CHOOSING BIRD'S NEST
The quality of processed bird's nest is determined by the amount of long and thick unbroken nest cement strands in the dried cleaned nests. The quality is higher if it contains more longer and thicker strands. When you choose bird's nest, feel the nest by your hand. It should be clean, dry, light and hard. Bird's nest with feather and dirt is time consuming to clean while sticky and soft nests weigh heavier and turn mouldy easily. After soaking, 37.9 gms of good quality bird's nest will weigh about 263 to 300 gms.
REAL OR FAKE, GOOD OR BAD?
A natural bird's nest is the real bird's nest. Illegal merchants may coat a layer of egg white or jelly on poor quality imitations. This increases the weight. The fake bird's nest will reflect light and look opaque.
In contrast, light will penetrate through a real bird's nest. Some fraudulent bird's nests are made of "Malaysia rubber" or "pig skin". The former smells and tastes acidic and does not contain nest threads while the latter releases oil after soaking in water.
As for the quality, generally speaking, the price is a fair guideline in reflecting the quality of the bird's nest. The higher the quality and category of a bird's nests, the greater the nutritional value, swelling capacity and beauty and vice versa.
She's actually recommended a better Bird's Nest 白官燕 for me. Claiming that the normal Bird's Nest will not be suitable for my consumption during my confinement. Mom saw the box and says 白官燕 is really good. Yah, like I know anything else except to open my mouth and eat!That box of approx 14 small pieces costs $560. Argh!
Footnote:
Just in case, you're reading this and hoping to get tips from me on what herbs to take during pregnancy. Please do not follow my prescriptions, as it's based on individual's health and the sequence of pregnancy (I had different herbs given with my earlier pregnancy). Some pregnant women takes 十三胎宝 which is entirely different from what I'm taking. So please do not self-medicate.
******************************************************************************************
WHAT IS BIRD'S NEST?
Bird's nest is a highly-prized delicacy discovered during the Tang Dynasty in China. At that time, it was only consumed by the Emperors and their families.
Bird's nest is a white substance extracted from swallows' nests. It is normally found in places such as steep deep caves and crags.
This unique Asian delicacy undergoes an intensive and complex cleansing process before it can be consumed. The raw bird's nest is first soaked for up to 48 hours before it can be thoroughly cleaned of impurities such as feathers and twigs.
BIRD'S NEST IS ESPECIALLY BENEFICIAL FOR:
Woman: It is known for its unique ability to prevent internal dryness due to ageing and is consumed to maintain youthfulness and a smooth, wrinkle-free complexion.
Elderly and children: It helps to stimulate appetite and aid digestion.
Patients: It speeds up recovery from illness and surgery as it provides a unique pre-digested form of protein and nutrients.
Expectant mothers: Pregnant woman and their foetus can benefit greatly from eating bird's nest. The regular consumption can increase nutrition and improve the health of the pregnant woman and foetus. The body and the immunity of the foetus can be strengthened and its mind activated. This thereby provides a firm foundation for future development. Woman consuming edible bird's nests after giving birth can also recover quicker and slim rapidly, helping to regain their youthful appearance.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A BIRD'S NEST
* Shape and volume : the best bird’s nests is in the shape of a boat or spoon. Bird’s nest can be triangular in shape if they have been built in the corner of two adjacent walls. However for nutritional value the shape does not matter. Bird’s nests that are broader in width rank higher. The real bird’s nest should be in a natural shape.
* Color and Purity : The best bird’s nest should be of natural colour, containing no mud and other impurities like moss. The colour of the white nest is an actual ivory. The yellow nest and the bloodyred nest are coloured straw and red, respectively. The variations and intensity in the colour are due to the difference in the mineral constituents of the food the swallow ate. The bird’s nests, regardless of their colour, swell when soaked in clear water. The colouration in the bird’s nest will fade and the nest threads look transparent after swelling. However, the water used for soaking should still remain transparent and colourless.
* Density and Swelling Capacity : Bird’s nests that have finer and denser nest threads appear almost gapless. They are bigger and thicker in volume and should have a higher swelling capacity. The swelling capacity refers to the water holding ability of a bird’s nest. The higher the swelling capacity, the greater the bird’s nest distends after immersion in water. Bird’s nests of different categories show different magnitudes of swelling capacity, i. e. the ratio between the weight of the bird’s nest before and after swelling can be different. The swelling capacity should be measured by weight instead of by volume.
* Flavor and Dryness : Bird’s nest should be selected by smell. A real bird’s nest retains a little bit of a fishy smell of the swallow’s saliva. When cooked, it releases a light aroma resembling the aroma of an egg white. It is essential to select a dry bird’s nest. A bird’s nest that is sticky and soft is certainly not dry enough. A wet bird’s nest weighs heavier thus the price will be overcharged from the extra weight. A wet bird’s nest would not be convenient for storage as it would attract mould easily and has a low swelling capacity.
* Price and Creditability : Bird’s nests should be purchased in person and selected by “looking”, “smelling” and “touching”. The price of the bird’s nest should be weighed against the flavor, size, thickness of the nest, fineness of the threads, dryness, and a good swelling capacity. It is not possible to buy a good quality bird’s nest at fair price if the goods have not been examined and the quality and category evaluated. The most trustful way to purchase a high quality bird’s nest is to buy from shops having a good reputation and guaranteed quality.
CHOOSING BIRD'S NEST
The quality of processed bird's nest is determined by the amount of long and thick unbroken nest cement strands in the dried cleaned nests. The quality is higher if it contains more longer and thicker strands. When you choose bird's nest, feel the nest by your hand. It should be clean, dry, light and hard. Bird's nest with feather and dirt is time consuming to clean while sticky and soft nests weigh heavier and turn mouldy easily. After soaking, 37.9 gms of good quality bird's nest will weigh about 263 to 300 gms.
REAL OR FAKE, GOOD OR BAD?
A natural bird's nest is the real bird's nest. Illegal merchants may coat a layer of egg white or jelly on poor quality imitations. This increases the weight. The fake bird's nest will reflect light and look opaque.
In contrast, light will penetrate through a real bird's nest. Some fraudulent bird's nests are made of "Malaysia rubber" or "pig skin". The former smells and tastes acidic and does not contain nest threads while the latter releases oil after soaking in water.
As for the quality, generally speaking, the price is a fair guideline in reflecting the quality of the bird's nest. The higher the quality and category of a bird's nests, the greater the nutritional value, swelling capacity and beauty and vice versa.
4 comments:
my mum ate birdsnest rather frequently when she was carrying my babysis. and turns out, my babysis is allergic to birdsnest now.
she gets puffy eyes when she touches it.
u may just want to take note of this, so yr baby gal wont be like my sis - cannot eat birdsnest :P
Thanks for your advice.
Did your mom take birdsnest from the early stages of her pregnancy?
The medical hall lady told us (4yrs ago & now) that ppl always hv the misconception of taking birdsnest. In the end, the child end up having asthma. Coz' birdsnest is cooling by nature.
I'm only allowed this delicacy from the 7th month onwards. Which explains why I'm jumping up for joy now!!!
i cant rem...
Personally I think overjoyed I discovered the blogs.
best snacks during pregnancy
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