What to look for, and what to avoid when looking for bird’s nest
When it comes to a traditional superfood that has been proven to improve one’s health in many different areas, one ingredient reigns supreme: Bird’s Nest. Bird’s nest has been consumed for over a thousand years due to its healing properties and demand has been steadily increasing over the years as more and more people value the importance of good health, especially during these uncertain times. As such, bird’s nest has firmly established itself as the most popular traditional superfood sold in Singapore.
Even if you have not tried bird’s nest, it’s hard not to notice the numerous bird’s nest products lining the aisles of supermarkets or medicinal halls in recent years. But what exactly is bird’s nest, and does it live up to its reputation? Let’s find out. As we get older, many functions start to slow down, including brain function, especially in areas such as cognition and memory. Additionally, one’s immune system may be weaker as we get older and recovering from illness may take longer than when we were younger. This is a natural process and happens to everyone.
That’s where bird’s nest comes in. Bird’s nest will usually come in the form of raw bird’s nest or ready-to-drink bottled products. As a superfood, bird’s nest is rich in proteins and essential amino acids, more so than most other food items*, and can boost overall immunity and health. In addition, the main carbohydrate is regarded scientifically as quite special, and is called sialic acid, which research has shown to aid greatly in neurological development**.
The popularity of bird’s nest has surged in recent times with sales increasing by a whopping 508% over the past year alone. However, with so many bird’s nest products on the market, it can be difficult to know which products are worth your money and which are just a waste of time.
That’s why Superfoods Review has compiled months of extensive research on bird’s nest into this handy guide to help you choose wisely and find the best bird’s nest product for yourself.
What Is Bird's Nest
Edible bird’s nests have long been considered a delicacy in the East and are made by edible-nest swiftlets in caves or nesting houses. Due to its rarity, unique protein content and flavour, bird’s nest is very much sought after by those seeking to improve their health.
Extensive research has shown that edible bird’s nests are rich in Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), which is a protein that stimulates cell growth and differentiation. Additionally, as bird’s nest contains a high level of glycoproteins and an abundant amount of amino acids (18 different types), consumption can help different body functions, especially in immunity, recovery, brain function and skin.
As we get older, our immune system becomes slower to respond. This increases our risk of getting ill and flu shots or other vaccines may not be as effective and protect us for as long as expected. In addition, we may find that our body may heal more slowly as we age, due to a reduced level of immune cells. We can strengthen our immune system through our diet, as well as to exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight, amongst other things.
To keep our immune system strong, doctors recommend a varied diet full of vitamin and mineral-rich food. One way to bolster this would be to take a supplement such as bird’s nest, which can be a far quicker and effective to give yourself that much-needed nutritious boost for your immune system.
Bird’s Nest: What You Need To Know
When it comes to bird’s nest, you are definitely spoiled for choice. There are a plethora of raw bird’s nest, bottled ready-to-drink bird’s nest, powders and even pastries available to purchase on the Singapore market - it all depends on which one you prefer and will stick to on a regular basis.
Many brands also pair their bird’s nest with other ingredients to help boost different functions. For example, these ingredients can be things used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), like ginseng and goji berries.
While there are many options in Singapore, the two ways most people would consume bird’s nest would be:
Ready-To-Drink Bird’s Nest
The more convenient option, ready-to-drink bird’s nest comes in a bottled format and all you need to do would be to pop open the cap and you have your nutritious bird’s nest ready. Producers are able to batch produce these bottles at a consistent temperature and you will be able to lean on the experience of food producers with decades of experience to choose the highest-quality raw bird’s nest and the best ways of brewing bird’s nest in order to retain all its health benefits. In a survey of over 100 Singaporeans, 78% said the biggest hurdle to consistently consume bird’s nest was the laborious process of cleaning, preparing and brewing the raw bird’s nest.
Raw Bird’s Nest
The traditional way of eating bird’s nest, the older generation prefers to prepare raw bird’s nest from scratch. This entails a time-consuming process that involves cleaning it by hand, soaking, and double-boiling the bird’s nest to the required texture. In addition, one has to prepare any accompanying ingredients such as ginseng or goji berries. While brewing your own bird’s nest allows you to physically see the raw bird’s nest ingredient and ensure you are getting your money’s worth, it may be too time-consuming and may prevent you from doing it regularly. Finding a reputable brand that offers a good-quality ready-to-drink product at a fair price may be a good alternative.
Bird’s Nest: What To Look Out For
With such a large number of options in Singapore, it can be challenging to distinguish which brands are effective and which are just trying to take your money. Fortunately, The Foods Channel has done extensive research and homework in this area, so that you are not at risk of wasting your hard earned money on low value, misleading or even potentially unsafe products. When it comes to finding a high-quality bird’s nest product that delivers results, you should look for the following things:
Quantity of bird’s nest
To get the best value from your purchase, it is important to find out exactly how much dry bird’s nest goes into each bottle. As the raw bird’s nest is the key ingredient and cost driver for bird’s nest drinks, many brands prefer to hide this information, and not state how much raw bird’s nest goes into each bottle. We advise to only purchase from brands who are transparent about how much bird’s nest goes into each bottle. This way, you will be able to get the best product that will aid you the most in your journey to better health.
Where your bird’s nest is processed
The processing of the raw bird’s nest is extremely important in order to receive the best benefits and nutrients of its consumption. It is important to choose your bird’s nest products from brands which have operations in countries well known for strict food processing standards and quality controls. Facilities in countries such as Singapore or USA are usually HACCP certified and you can rest assured of the cleanliness and quality of food products from these countries due to their strict food regulation laws.
No Unnecessary Ingredients
The best bird’s nest products on the market are the ones composed of natural, healthy and non-synthetic ingredients.
By cutting out the fillers, you can be sure you’re getting 100% premium, highly-concentrated ingredients in their purest form, with no unnecessary artificial additives.
What You Need To Avoid
Bleached Bird’s Nest
Many unscrupulous suppliers resort to bleaching the raw bird’s nest so they won’t have to go through the costly and laborious process of hand-cleaning each individual nest. This bleaching process is harmful to the end consumer and negates any health benefits you may get from eating bird’s nest. This bleaching may be more prevalent when buying raw bird’s nest (as opposed to ready-to-drink), as there is a great demand for the raw nests to look “perfect”. Be mindful when you come across bird’s nests that are totally white or look too uniform. Natural nests vary in size and weight, and the strands of such nests separate from each other when soaked in water and have varying lengths. If the strands do not separate, the bird’s nest may have been artificially tampered with.
Misleading and Unnecessary Ingredients
In order to increase profits, many brands have resorted to adding misleading ingredients in their ready-to-drink bird’s nest to confuse customers. Some may add ingredients such as seaweed and white fungus, which are similar in look and feel to bird’s nest, but with none of the good health benefits. We advise consumers to scrutinise the ingredients list carefully and not purchase any ready-to-drink bird’s nest that contain unnecessary ingredients such as seaweed and white fungus.
Fake Reviews
Thousands of Singaporeans use Lazada, Shopee or Amazon before purchasing their products, but most don’t realize that up to 60% of their reviews are written by individuals paid to leave positive feedback. Risking your health with reviews that are likely false is too dangerous a game to play when you’re choosing a health food that you consume.
Prioritise Quality Over Price
When buying bird’s nest, one should alway prioritize quality, even if that means paying a bit more for an authentic, high-quality product from a reputable brand. Your health is far too valuable to take such a gamble on potentially harmful products.
THE BEST BIRD’S NEST PRODUCTS
We Picked Our Top Choice
Based on extensive research, interviews with customers and comprehensive testing through our Superfood Reviews system, we have compiled a list of what we’ve found to be the top five bird’s nest products available today.
We have narrowed down hundreds of different bird’s nest products into our all-time Top 5 and eventually crowned a winner.
Our evaluation criteria:
PROS
Upfront about quantity - over 9 grams of bird’s nest in each bottle
No unnecessary ingredients
Rigorously tested for purity and ingredient quality
Made in Singapore to HACCP standards
Highly rated for customer service
Free SG delivery on all orders
CONS
Only available online
Regularly out of stock due to high demand
BOTTOMLINE
With a great product focused on quality and the best customer feedback scores on our list, The Purest Co is easily our number one choice for bird’s nest in the market today.
It delivers one of the most concentrated products for the price, and is the only brand we found to state exactly how much raw bird’s nest goes into each bottle (9 grams or 2 full cups). In addition, they have a good variety of flavours with complimentary ingredients such as pandan and collagen & pearl.
Their bird’s nest was very popular with our readers and was packed with a fragrant taste. In addition, unlike most other bird’s nest brands, their products were not too sweet. The Purest Co also offers a 30-day, risk-free money-back guarantee which shows that they are willing to stand behind the quality of their products.
When compared to top competitors, the ready-to-drink bird’s nest products from The Purest Co were a cut above the rest in terms of quantity, quality and value, hence is the top choice as the best bird’s nest product on the market today.
*Results are based on Superfood Reviews system and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
PROS
Wide variety of bird’s nest products
Long brand history in Singapore
Good discounts during occasions
CONS
Some bird’s nest products made overseas
Some bird’s nest products may contain seaweed/white fungus
No information about quantity of bird’s nest
Options can be confusing
BOTTOMLINE
Eu Yan Sang (EYS) has a long history in Singapore and is the first name people think of when looking to purchase bird’s nest. They have a wide range of products which provides a huge variety to suit every taste.
While there are plenty of options, it can also get slightly confusing with their naming convention (superior deluxe, premium concentrated, imperial golden etc.). This, coupled with their large difference in prices and lack of information on the website, made choosing which product to get quite challenging.
EYS does have some bird’s nest products made in Singapore and overseas. We feel that for their products made locally, the quality and quantity was good, even though they did not state how much bird’s nest goes into each bottle. While normal retail price was slightly on the pricey side, EYS does have regular sales periods which makes prices relatively affordable.
PROS
Beautiful packaging - great for gifts
No unnecessary ingredients
Made in a halal facility
Made in Singapore to HACCP/ISO22000 standard
CONS
Expensive
No information about quantity of bird’s nest
BOTTOMLINE
A young brand from Singapore, the bird’s nest products from Zhen are concentrated and quality is assured as all products are made locally.
With a clean flavour and good texture, each bottle of Zhen had a good amount of bird’s nest inside, without any unnecessarily added ingredients. The brand does have a good range of bird’s nest with floral formulas including jasmine and osmanthus.
In addition, Zhen’s bird’s nest products came in an extremely nice package and would make a good gift for your loved ones. However, due to what we think is the investment in packaging, each set of bird’s nest is on the high-end, and hence may not be the right option for those looking to consume bird’s nest for themselves and for the long-term.
PROS
Long brand history in Singapore
No unnecessary ingredients
Made to HACCP standards
CONS
Limited offering
Customer support lacking
No information about quantity of bird’s nest
BOTTOMLINE
Another brand with a long history in Singapore, Dragon brand has been producing bird’s nest for decades. They have a strong emphasis on producing high quality bird’s nest products and while their range of products is simple, they do focus on providing a good product at a decent price.
Regarding their range of bird’s nest products, it is centred simply around bird’s nest with rock sugar, and there are no unnecessary ingredients added to the mix.
Dragon brand’s bird’s nest products are fragrant, and the taste of their products is on par with the rest of their competitors. While they did not state how much bird’s nest goes into each bottle, the bird’s nest inside was abundant and comparable to the top 2 options in this list.
While the product seems to be good, there aren’t a large number of online reviews for Dragon brand. We believe that the brand focuses more on their retail channels, and perhaps less so to cater to online purchasers.
PROS
Affordable
CONS
Very little bird’s nest in each bottle
Unnecessary ingredients added
Product is on the sweet side
No information about quantity of bird’s nest
BOTTOMLINE
For those that are looking for an affordable gift for their friends, this may be a viable option. Other than that, it may not provide the best value in terms of personal consumption and for health benefits.
BEST PRODUCT OVERALL
After utilizing our in-depth Superfood Reviews testing and grading methodology, as well as testing and studying the reviews of each brand…
The Superfood Reviews has rated the bird’s nest collection from The Purest Co as the best choice in the Singapore market today.
While there are a couple of options that may come close…in terms of ingredient quality, quantity, and being the most value-for-money, The Purest Co is by far the best choice right now.
Sources:
Bird’s nest on antioxidant activity and its significant and positive effects on health and lifespan:
* https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27188745/
Bird’s nests are a good source of natural antioxidants and can supplement one’s diet and health:
** https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28497137/
Bird’s nest is not only rich in protein and essential amino acids that are in a wider variety than most food items but a large part is also made up of carbohydrates:
*** https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25392186/
The main carbohydrates in bird’s nest would be sialic acid, which has been shown to aid in neurological development:
**** https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2021.626233/full#F4
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