7 Essential Minerals Found in Edible Bird Nest

A Comprehensive guide on the most beneficial minerals found in edible bird nest

Why do we consume bird’s nest one may ask, the answer is clear: we consume it for the high minerals content that is within the bird’s nest.

Here is the list of 7 essential minerals found in  all edible bird’s nest:

1) Antioxidants Bird’s Nest is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances or nutrients that can prevent or delay the oxidation of our bodies. Health problems, including heart disease, cells degeneration, diabetes, cancer, etc. caused by oxidative damage are deterred with the aid of antioxidants; in other words it boosts our body’s immunity. In addition, antioxidants also protect the skin from reactive molecules of oxygen and prevents premature ageing of the skin 

2) Amino acids

Bird’s Nest is also rich in Collagen and Amino acids such as leucine, lysine, glycine, glutamine, tyrosine, arginine, cysteine, histidine, tryptophan, amino acids etc. Amino acids are described as the building blocks of proteins and tissues that is beneficial to human body. It helps combat the build up of fats and boost our immune system.

3) Collagen 

Collagen is a substance that is produced naturally by our body. However, as we age the production of this substance diminishes. Thus, it results in thinning skin, formation of wrinkles,  brittle hair and nails and fragile bones. Bird nest is rich in collagen can is a good supplement for collagen for our body as we age. Consuming  bird’s nest collagen can help a person retain its youth by keeping the skin firm, tight, flexible and youthful looking. Hair and nails will appear healthier. Collagen also also aid in the treatment of pain, swelling as well as stiffness around joints as we age.

4) Carbohydrate (glycoprotein and mucin)
Bird Nest is rich in Glycoprotein. It is a main ingredient for our body’s Cell-to-cell communication. It is formed when a protein links with a carbohydrate. Glycoproteins play a critical role in the body in relation to how various systems recover from internal and external stresses. They also are fundamentally involved in cellular repair in our body.

5) Iron
Iron is essential for the proper growth and development of the human body. It helps metabolise proteins and plays a role in the production of haemoglobin and red blood cells. The health benefits of iron include the eradication of different causes of fatigue. Iron also plays a key role in strengthening the immune system by making it strong enough to fight off infections. As iron is an oxygen carrier in our bloodstream, having sufficient iron in our body helps build concentration, treats insomnia, build muscle cells and regulates body temperature.

6) Inorganic salt (including potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur, phosphorus, silica and other trace elements)
The different types of inorganic salt in a bird’s nest is essential to help our body maintain a proper PH balance ensuring cells regeneration and growth. These minerals can help our body regulate blood pressure, clear mucus / phlegm, balance the body’s sugar level, remove access acidity from cells which causes cancer, helps in energy generation of our body, enhance brain function and maintain strong bone density.

7) Fiber
Bird’s Nest Fibre provides the same benefits as those found in fruits and vegetables. It helps control blood sugar level, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, enhance skin health, boost intestinal health, reduce risk of having gallstone and kidney stone, relieve irritable bowel syndrome and reduce risk of haemorrhoid.

We hope that you have learnt something new in our article and understand the importance of the minerals contained within edible bird’s nest. To understand in layman’s term of the general benefits of bird nest, do also read up on our article Top 5 Major Health Benefits of Edible Bird’s Nests (燕窝)