The nutritional value of bird's nest is very high, which is almost known to everyone. "Bird's Nest with Rock Sugar" is the most common way we consume it. But recently, it has been reported that the nutritional value of bird's nest is not as good as eggs in some brands of bird's nest products. Is it true? Let me take you to understand bird's nest!
【Name】
Bird's Nest with Rock Sugar
【Ingredients】
Red dates, goji berries, appropriate amount of rock sugar, one portion of bird's nest
【Instructions】
1. Rinse the bird's nest with water and soak it in a bowl (6-8 hours) until it expands. Use tweezers to remove any impurities if necessary.
2. Tear open the bird's nest along the grain and put it into a stewing pot.
3. Add an appropriate amount of purified water, just enough to cover the bird's nest by about 1 centimeter (water should not exceed 7/10 of the pot).
4. Add red dates without pits, goji berries, and an appropriate amount of rock sugar to the pot. Stew for 30-40 minutes in an electric stewing pot.
There is also a simpler method: clear stewed bird's nest, which follows the same instructions. After stewing the bird's nest, you can add rock sugar, red dates, honey, or other seasonings according to personal taste.
【Is Bird's Nest Less Nutritious Than Eggs?】
The nutritional standard of bird's nest is not based on protein, but on sialic acid. It is reported that, in terms of sialic acid content, 1 gram of dried bird's nest is equivalent to 40 eggs.
Li Hongwei, an associate professor at the School of Public Health, Xiamen University, pointed out that sialic acid is the main component of bird's nest that plays a role in promoting nerve development, improving immune function, and enhancing epithelial tissue. "Among all known foods, bird's nest has the highest content of sialic acid," he said.
Public information shows that sialic acid, also known as bird's nest acid, is the main bioactive component in bird's nest, a traditional rare tonic in China. It is also one of the important components that contribute to the early brain development and immune system improvement in infants in maternal colostrum. The content of sialic acid in bird's nest is second only to that in maternal colostrum. Although sialic acid is also present in milk and eggs, the amount is very, very low.
