Vietnamese hope to meet demand for edible Birds Nests

In Vietnam, where the average income is $151 a month, Mai Vu and husband David Nguyen routinely spend $250 on edible Birds Nest.

The couple account for the soaring appetite among Vietnam’s young and upwardly mobile population for one of the world’s most expensive foods, congealed saliva of Asian swiftlets. The country’s expanding middle class hungers for healthy food. Birds Nest is believed to ward off diseases and feeds a growing demand for luxury products.

Vietnamese hope to meet demand for edible Birds Nests

‘‘It’s one of the most valuable products one can give to those who have everything,’’ said Vu, 28, who works at an international bank in Hanoi and was shopping for Birds Nest for her toddler daughter at a new, upscale mall. ‘‘You want to impress people.’’

About Edible Birds Nest

It is said that Birds Nest holds great medicinal properties which helps to enhance one’s health and is able to treat illnesses, especially those related to the lungs. The consumption of Birds Nest before and after pregnancy helps to stabilise these conditions and improve the health of the foetus. It also helps to decrease the discomfort caused by side effects of chemotherapy and electrotherapy. For example, dryness and soreness of throat, constipation, hoarseness, swelling and nausea.

About Swiflets And Birds Nest

Swiftlets are mainly found in Southeast Asia and their nests, made from solidified saliva are later collected and processed into Edible Birds Nest. These swiftlets usually build their nests either in caves or houses whereby both are known to be a habitual and natural ecology for them.
We do not farm or tame these swiftlets, however, our job is only to provide these swiftlets with a suitable living environment that will encourage the swiftlets to build nests for breeding purposes. The job of the swiflets farmers are to harvest the nests once the young swiftlets are able to leave them as these nests cannot be recycled. The harvested nests will then be processed into edible Birds Nests.

Birds Nest: Ancient And Back Again

The first edible Birds Nest was discovered in Java when a tribe man accidentally chanced upon a cave full of swiftlets nests. He took some home with him to be tasted and found them to be quite tasty. Few days later, he felt healthier and much more energetic thus this nutritional product has since became popular among the locals. The Birds Nests were then harvested and traded to China.
Since ancient times, the Birds Nests are known to be a type of precious yet luxurious delicacy whereby only the Emperor, his family and nobles of the Chinese Dynasty Era have the privilege to savor it and it is believed to bring long life, youthfulness as well as rich in nutrients. Offering Birds Nests as a tribute to the Emperor are widely found in historical records and it is said that the practice of using Birds Nest for beauty purposes were popular within royal courts.
And today, it has become a delicious healthy supplement that is very much favored especially by the Chinese as it is suitable for people of all ages and provides substantial nutrients that boosts ones health and grants radiant beauty.