All About Bird's Nest

Hello! I've recently developed an interest in the famed beauty miracle food, Bird's Nest. Trusted and believed by asians for ages as the secret to beautiful flawless skin. So here's a little research I did :)

My dearest boyfriend bought me a box 2 weeks ago after seeing me obsess over my skin like a brat. Needless to say, I was over the moon ♡

Contrary to popular belief, a whole box of bird's nest in it's raw state is actually a lot cheaper than buying pre-made bottles. This box costs about $290 for 18pieces which amounts to about $16/piece. According to the sales lady, 1 piece is just enough for 1 bowl. However, after cooking it, the bird's nest was so thick that I prefer splitting one piece into 2 bowls :)

Benefits

• Stimulates regeneration of cells resulting in fairer more radiant skin
• Erases wrinkles 
• Contains a water-soluble glyco-protein that promotes cell division, strengthening the immune system
• Replenishes strength and vital energy
• Accelerates recovery from diseases
• Enhances the metabolism of fat
• Moisturizes and replenishes the lung and clears intestinal heat

House or Cave Nests?

There are two main types of bird's nests selling in the market; house nests and cave nests! House nests are basically from farms whereas cave nests, as the name implies, are nests found in caves :) Most of the bird's nests you find in stores nowadays are house nests and are usually an ivory white in colour. House nests are more popular because it contains lesser impurities due to the cleaner housing provided for the birds. ( The ones I'm eating right now are house nests! ) Cave nests comes in a variation of colours from "blood" nests to yellowish white, due to all the minerals found in cave walls and also dependent on the bird's diet.

Some tips and fun facts!

• "Blood" Nests are not red due to the blood of the swiftlets, the colour is actually a result of the environment of the caves
• Some suppliers will use chemicals to bleach or remove odours from the nests to cheat customers, so beware! Always buy from reputable stores! 
• Believed to be an aphrodisiac? 
• Prices have fallen drastically in 2013 due to a ban China imposed on nests imports from Malaysia (so now is the best time to buy bird's nests!)
• There are now home delivery options available for those who have no time to cook their own bird's nest soup :O

So far, I haven't noticed any noticeable difference in my skin. Will probably have to consistently consume it for a longer period of time before seeing the results! I'm currently consuming it 2-3 times a week :) Hopefully this post is helpful for those considering to purchase bird's nest!