The Best Types of Edible Bird’s Nests on the Market

What are the different types of birds nests?

If you’re new to the world of edible bird’s nests, then you’re probably a little overwhelmed by the choices you have. There are dozens of companies selling bird’s nests, and all of them seem to have varying ratings for their nests. An edible bird’s nest ranked  AAAAon one site could be ranked as an AAA bird nest on another site.

While there’s no uniformity in the way that bird’s nests are graded, there are basic principles to identify the best birds nest type.

Best Color for Bird’s Nests

When you’re shopping for bird’s nests based on color, the best edible nest you can buy is a red blood bird nest. These nests make up a very small segment of the market; their rarity lends not only to them being sought-after but costing more than all other colors.

The color of the nest was, for many centuries, attributed to a bird’s blood mixed with saliva – this is why they’re also known as red blood bird nest. However, science has revealed that the nests actually get their color from minerals absorbed into the nest, mixed with air and water.

Reputable sites will sell legitimate red nests, but there are fakes sold by companies who artificially color white nests with sodium nitrate. These nests can be dangerous to your health. You know you have a fake red blood bird nest if the color noticeably bleeds while soaking them.

Best Origin for Bird’s Nests

These different types of birds nest come from one of two places: in the wild or from farms. Some will argue that nests from the wild are the best. These nests are harvested from caves or cliffs and, according to some, have a unique flavor profile seasoned by sea air and rock mineral. This isn’t always the case, as some limestone caves that house swallow nests that don’t get much contact with sea air.

On the other hand, farm-grown bird’s nests are harvested in urban areas, but this doesn’t affect their flavor as much as you would think. The taste nuances of bird’s nests tends to come from the swallow’s saliva.

A great example of this is the red blood bird nest – though some of them get their red color from rock minerals, they don’t have much of a different taste from red nests harvested from farms.

Best Website for Bird’s Nests

Golden Nest has an excellent customer rating and is, according to those who’ve purchased nests from us, the brand they’d choose over every other American brand. In fact, 98% of our customers would recommend our different types of birds nest products to friends and family.

Best Grade of Bird’s Nests

How a bird’s nest is graded has a big influence on its price – our AAA nests demand high prices because they are of the highest quality. Most sites will give their best nests a AAA rating and some will do AAAA. Whenever you’re browsing a website for bird’s nests, examine their highest-grade nests very closely.

Is the cup shape a perfect half-moon? Do the fibers seem unorganized or are they flat and uniform? These are indications that the nests are, in fact, high quality and deserve their rating. As a rule of thumb, the more A’s a nest gets, the better the quality.

Best Overall Bird’s Nest on the Market

The best birds nest combines vibrant colors, excellent quality and are sold by reputable websites. These nests will command the highest prices – often more than $700 for a family-size box – but are worth every penny.

The best birds nest on the market will never disappoint. Their numerous health benefits and beautiful texture are just two reasons why edible bird’s nests are known as the “Caviar of the East”.