燕窝的真正营养价值

我觉得大家都认为燕窝是上等补品，许多人都愿意花上不便宜的金钱来吃它以达到养生的目的，但是燕窝的营养价值真的值这么高的价钱吗？

从营养成分的分析结果看来，燕窝属于低营养价值食品，一写文章把燕窝养生的功能写得多好，拥有碳水化和物（carbohydate） 蛋白质（protein），氨基酸（amino acids），食用纤维 （cellulose），微量矿物质（minerals）等等，这些从商业利益有关方面所发出的文稿唯一不加入的就是燕窝的营养成分与其他食品的比较。

我今天整理了一些资料，决定拿出来与大家分享。。。我的目的不是想摧毁燕窝行业，只是想让大家看清事实的真相，与其花在燕窝上，不如买一些有科学研究根基的营养品，省钱又可体会到效果。

燕窝的营养

根据科学化验结果，燕窝的主要营养成分为蛋白质，碳水化和物，矿物质，食用纤维。

1。蛋白质
燕窝蛋白质的大部分成分为上皮组织细胞（epithelial cells），那就是燕子的口水。很可悲的，这种细胞只拥有一种主要氨基酸，那就是赖氨酸（Lysine），除了这个还有三种次要氨基酸。健康的人体需要 八种主要氨基酸及十三种次要氨基酸，所以说燕窝是一种低蛋白质的食品。如果拿一粒鸡蛋来比较，鸡蛋的蛋白质成分提供了所有人体所需要的氨基酸。

2。碳水化和物
2粒燕窝提供345卡路里，相等于两片米饼，价钱相差十万八千里，十分可悲。

3。矿物质
燕窝所提供的矿物质成分，尤其是铁质其实都很可观，很可惜的，这些矿物质大部分都是环境周围所渗透入燕子所制造的窝内，换句话说，这些矿物质都是非有机（inorganic）矿物质，不能够被人体完全吸收，大部分都会都会随着大小便而排出体外。

4。食用纤维
四片燕窝所提供的食用纤维相等于一粒苹果。根本不值一谈。

食用燕窝的危险因素

1。很多文章说燕窝中的表皮生长因子可刺激细胞分裂、再生、组织重建，使得燕窝对人体的滋补、复原起着很大的作用。从科学角度来说这一点也不错，但是他们 不会告诉你表皮生长因子危险性。很多癌症研究报告证明了表皮生长因子可使正常细胞失去控制不断分裂而形成癌细胞，一些癌症药物如Cetuximab和 panitumumab是针对压抑表皮生长因子来治疗癌症的。

2。燕窝，就如其他植物和豆类，都会可能造成一部分人产生过敏症，严重的甚至可对生命构成威胁。

3。作为一种天然物品，燕窝拥有遭受到外来污染的风险。在1999年，越南发生了食用燕窝导致砷（arsenic）中毒事件。对于这个案件可参考American Journal of Medical Sciences in April, 1999. (Luong KV, Nguyen LT. Organic arsenic intoxication from bird's nest soup. Am J Med Sci. 1999 Apr;317(4):269-71.) 。

Efficacious Remedy using Porcupine Date

Not too long ago, an internet pal of our son came down with dengue and was admitted to the local hospital in Singapore. Apparently, it was too late and she died of dengue haemorrhagic fever after a couple of hours of admission. We were all saddened to hear of the sudden death as she was only 19. Last month our son’s other friend was feeling all uptight as her father was warded in a Kuala Lumpur private hospital as it was another case of dengue fever. The family resides in an apartment not far from some construction sites with abandoned material. These could have been good breeding ground for the Aedes mosquitoes. Our son visited him at the ward and told us that this uncle-friend needed a blood transfusion the next day as his blood count had dropped drastically. It reminded us of the epsiode of our reader-cum-friend in Banting who needed eight packs of blood for the same cause.

Suddenly, it struck us of a Chinese folk remedy introduced to us by a mutual friend. This herbal subject is the porcupine date( Hao Zhu Zao). Well, it’s like a kidney stone of the wild porcupines which goes into deep jungles and feed on wild herbs. We have seen the utmost superior grade at a famous herbal place in Kuala Lumpur with a branded price of RM 72,000 for the whole ball. You actually need a scrapping of half-a-teaspoon for each dose. Yes, we have heard much of its effectiveness in combating dengue fever and raising blood count. So, off we went to a nearby herbal shop to purchase two packs of this ground powder of the porcupine date. It costs RM600.00 for this grade at a single dose. After paying RM1,200.00, we thought the remedy has to do him some good for the money spent. Each grade differs as only experienced herbalist can tell. It all depends on environment as where the porcupines thrive and how well the wild herbs flourish. His wife fed him the first dose that night as he was in a very delirious state of mind. Another dose was given to him early next morning. The doctor who came on round later in the morning was surprised at his rapid recovery. His blood count had raised tremendously and was given an immediate discharge.

According to the Chinese folk remedy, the first dose from a good grade is sufficient to raise the blood count but the second dose helps to prevent joint aches during old age if you have had severe dengue fever before. Sad to say, little or no research has been done on this remedy and not scientifically documented. Older generations who lived centuries ago must have understood of how desirable the active principles of the stone could be. But cheap and natural food listed below can help dengue patients within the hospitalization period and the home recovery time to feel better if taken daily for one month. These are all natural products like double-boiling a few small bitter gourds with a couple of paddy frogs and water. Drink this soup daily for 30 days. Or blend the red flesh and white part of the watermelon into a juice. Discard the green skin. Drinking this fruit juice often can help to cool the heaty body’s system. Another remedy is to sip the juice of the local green coconut in order to balance the body’s fluid. Do not consume the fragrant coconut as it has a different role.

Well, whatever happens to any suspected dengue case, is still best to be diagnosed by the doctor to confirm the infection. We learnt a painful lesson from the young friend’s death.

Richard & Catherine
Y3K Recipes Issue no.42 (May-June 2008)

豪猪枣

前 阵子，儿子一个住在新加坡的网友患上蚊症而发高烧入院，不到几个小时就离开人世，年龄只有十九岁。上个月，他另一个居住在吉隆坡公寓朋友的父亲投诉因建筑 商将货柜搁置在附近而滋生蚊虫而患上蚊症入院。孩子到医院探访后回来告诉我们：「医生说血小板指数一直往下掉，明天需要输血。」这让我想起另一个住在万津 的朋友同样因蚊症而输了八包血的经历。

我们曾经听过另一个朋友说：「豪猪（箭猪）散可以治疗蚊症，效果显著。」豪猪散取之于豪猪枣，曾经 在一家中药店看到一粒比拳头还小的豪猪枣标价超过七万令吉，令人咋舌。根据医师透露豪猪枣是豪猪的石，想不到却能成为药物。我们抱着姑且一试的心情买了两 剂豪猪散，药材店将深褐色的豪猪枣以锋利的刀片刮出少许再研成粉末，品质好的每剂售价六百令吉，两剂总共一千二百令吉。

当天晚上我们到医 院探望患者，他在精神恍惚下服下一剂，隔天再服另一剂。早上医生为他作检查时大吃一惊，竟然完全痊愈，不需要输血，并宣布即刻可以出院了！根据中医师的说 法：「服用第二剂豪猪枣的目的是避免蚊症后遗症，以免年纪渐长骨头会疼痛。」所以即使可能服用一剂已足以痊愈，服用这第二剂有其必要性。

不 幸患上蚊症者除了服用豪猪枣之外，接下来的后续调理也不可不注意。根据老一辈人的建议，接着连续一个月可以多食用以下的食物，对骨热痛症患者有帮助。每天 喝小苦瓜炖田鸡，据说这样一来可以解除体内残余的毒素。将西瓜的白肉及红肉一起打成水现打现喝，以及多喝本地的嫩椰水。

无论如何，发烧的事可大可小，如果发烧持续不退，即刻到医院检验才是正确之道！

余庚财与谢宋美
Y3K Recipes Issue no.42
Mar-Apr 2008

Recipe from Y3K Recipes Issue no.61 (July/ August 2011)

Recipe from Y3K Recipes Issue no.61 (July/ August 2011)

Ingredients:
300g shoulder loin (sliced)
100g shallots (sliced)
100g garlic (minced)

Marinade:
1 tbsp super soy sauce
2 tbsps chilli sauce (less spicy)
Dash of premium sesame oil
1 tsp shrimp sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp tapioca flour
Dash of pepper

Seasoning:
2 tsps supreme thick soya sauce

For garnishing:
1 stalk spring onion (diced)
1 fresh red chilli (cut into rings)

Method:
1. Mix meat with marinade. Leave it aside for 10-15 minutes.
2. Heat a wok with a little oil to saute shallots and garlic. Add in no. (1), fry till meat changes colour.
3. Add in seasoning, fry well. Cover wok, use low heat to braise for 15 minutes. Dish up, garnish.

Tips: Check meat constantly, if it is too dry, add in some hot water.