Why Blood Bird Nest Turns to Be the Best Gift for CNY

Chinese New Year might be the most awaited events for Chinese people all around the world. It is traditionally the time for family reunion, family gathering, and visiting the elder married family members to get the red envelope. It is also the perfect time to show our love, and return the favor of the parents, either by giving them the red envelope or by gifting something valuable, such as Blood Bird Nest. It is the perfect gifts not only for elderly, but also for other members of the family, such as siblings (either men or women), young or pregnant mothers, and children

Among all other choices of gift, this is why Blood Bird Nest turns to be the best gift for Chinese New Year.

1. Countless benefits

Blood Bird Nest does not make the appearance better like beautiful outfits, but it improves the most important aspect of the life: health. With the high-value nutrients, it has numerous benefits to the recipients. It symbolizes the long-life and healthy wishes to the recipients.

Why Blood Bird Nest Turns to Be the Best Gift for CNY

2. Perfect for everyone

Not only for elderly, Blood Bird Nest is suitable for everyone in every age: young or old, men or women, pregnant mother, children, baby, etc. It is literally for everyone! It gives each person different benefits they need, such as benefits for women, for the elderly, for smokers, etc.

3. Long-lasting

With the right treatment and handling, Blood Bird Nest can be long lasting. It is best kept in dry and airtight food container, stored at room or cool temperature. Good quality dried Blood Bird Nest can last for over ten years if stored properly.

4. Easy to prepare

The Blood Bird Nest is also easy to prepare, so it’s perfect for active people too. How to prepare: soak and rinse the dried Blood Bird Nest with clean water for several hours; clean it using tweezers; change the water and soak it for another hour until the Blood Bird Nest is soft and expanding from its original shape.

5. Served as various dishes

Mention it all, either soup, dessert, main course, Blood Bird Nest can serve it all. It is also can be served hot or cold, depending on the dishes and preference. See various Blood Bird Nest recipes on our blog.

Myanmar's Blood Bird Nest industry comes home to roost

Today the global edible Blood Bird Nest industry is estimated to be worth $5 billion, most of it produced in Southeast Asia.

The cries of amorous swiftlets echo around the dark room, an unlikely gold mine for traders in southern Myanmar who are cashing in on rising demand for the edible nests from China's growing middle class.
Dozens of buildings dedicated to the tiny birds have sprung up around Bokpyin in recent years, their grey concrete structures towering over the humbler wooden and brick homes of the town's human inhabitants.
Every morning and evening the air is filled with high-pitched twitterings blasted from loudspeakers that draw thousands of the swallow-like birds home to roost.

Blood Bird Nests have become one of the main industries in the town, traditionally known for producing the chewable stimulant betel nut as well as rubber and palm oil.
Traders can charge around $2,000 a viss (equivalent to 1.63 kilogrammes) for the tiny nests — more than the average person in Myanmar earns in a year.
"We started making man-made Blood Bird Nests (houses) 10 years ago," said Paing Set Aung, who owns one of the buildings where hundreds of swiftlets make their homes in the rafters.
"Initially there was a house where the birds came to roost by themselves. After that, people started to construct man-made bird houses."
Most of the tiny white nests, which are made from solidified bird spit, are sold to neighbouring China.
Long considered the reserve of the country's wealthy elite, who ate them during lavish banquets, they are in increasing demand from middle-class consumers.
TRT World's Denee Savoia reports.

Exports surge

Myanmar's exports have surged since 2011 — the year the former junta handed over power to a quasi-civilian government.
"Blood Bird Nests are one of the main businesses in Bokpyin," said local Lin Aung, who built his first house five years ago and is now on his third.
"China is the top buyer of Blood Bird Nests here."
Once across the border, the nests are transformed into one of the most expensive foods in the world.
When boiled in water they dissolve into a gelatinous gloop which is then made into desserts or drunk as a soup or a tonic that is said to prolong life and improve strength.
There is little peer-reviewed scientific data showing that nests have proven medicinal properties. Nutritional studies have shown the saliva to be mainly made up of protein, followed by carbohydrates.

Caviar of the East

In Shanghai restaurants sell the "the caviar of the East," as it is known, for hundreds of dollars a bowl.
Many of them cater specifically to women, who believe the nests can help smooth the complexion and make them look younger.
The tonic is also said to help during pregnancy — one of Shanghai's high-end spas solely for mothers-to-be even has its own restaurant and sells gift bags for as much as 3900 RMB ($566).
Shoppers can also order the products online, including candied Blood Bird Nests from Myanmar to be eaten as sweets.
"In China, the Blood Bird Nest has been a really famous and much-loved traditional tonic since ancient times," Zhang Yi said inside her NestCha restaurant.
"It is mild and a little sweet. It is good for women, the elderly, children and men."