Nutritional content of swiftlet birdnest - Thành phần dinh dưỡng của yến sào

Here is the quotation of "Review of Scientific Research on Edible Bird's Nest" published by Shun Wan Chan - Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

"Edible bird's nest contains mainly carbohydrates, amino acids and mineral salts. The major ingredients of edible bird's nest are glycoproteins[11]. Amongst the carbohydrates in edible bird's nest, sialic acid (9%) is the major one. It was found that exogenous source of sialic acid may contribute to neurological and intellectual advantages in infants[12]. However, the nutritional and biological mechanisms of sialic acid in human body are still under investigation. The other major carbohydrates include 7.2% galactosamine, 5.3% glucosamine, 16.9% galactose and 0.7% fucose[11].

Amino acids and mineral salts are also important components in edible bird's nest. Three non-essential amino acids (aspartic acid, glutamic acid, praline) and two essential amino acids (threonine and valine) can be found[11]. They could facilitate normal body functions such as repairing and immunity. Edible bird's nest is rich in mineral salts. It contains high content of sodium and calcium. It is because the source of edible bird's nest is derived from saliva Collocalia inhabiting mainly in limestone caves. In addition, low levels of magnesium, zinc, manganese and iron are also detected in edible bird's nest[8]."