Edible bird's nest are derived from the gelatinous saliva of Aerodramus Fuciphogus, a type of swiftlets found mainly in the South East Asia. According to Chinese history, when the famous navigator Cheng Ho travelled to Melacca, valuables were traded for these delicacies as an offerings to the Emperor.
According to many classical Chinese books about health food, swiftlet nest was imported into China from Southeast Asia region since the Tang Dynasty. Chinese records on swiftlet nest consist mainly of several categories of historical documentation, including official histories, notes of scolars, travel records, books on dining, books on health and book on medical herbs. Swiftlet nest become well known by physicians, connoisseurs, encyclopedic scholars and traders. Consequently, swiftlet nest developed into a well-known and well-accepted precious health food.
Hundreds of years after swiftlet nest had been accepted as a precious food in China, it was further accepted by the Chinese to have medical and health enhancing effects. The medical and health-enhancing effects by Chinese medical practitioners after centuries of observation and validation. Swiftlet nest has been considered able to slow down the aging process, a rejuvenating agent. Swift nest also acts as a demulcent to the lungs and has been used in relieving phlegm and coughs.
Based on modern research, the protein contained in swift nest is distinct that it is biologically active protein, providing revitalisation to the human body. Reseach reveals that swiftlet nest contains an epidermal growth factor and water extraction of swiftlet nest can directly stimulate cell growth/regeneration and enhance the effectiveness of mitogen(the initiator in cell division). Also, this active protein in the nest makes it a very useful tonic for people with weak digestion system and for people that need a very rapid cell regeneration and developmennt(pregnant women, growing children). The most recent published research confirms that the high content of water-soluble glyco-protein in swift nest promotes cell division within the immune system.
