Durian Fruit: Potent Smell but Incredibly Nutritious

Durian is regarded as the king of fruits. It is notable for its massive size, pungent odor (which some find overbearing), and tough thorn-covered husk. It gets its name from the Malay word duri, which means thorn.

The fruit may grow to be up to 40 cm long and 30 cm in diameter, weighing 1 to 5 kg. 

Depending on the species:

• its form varies from oblong to circular,
• the color of its husk from green to brown, and
• the color of its flesh from pale-yellow to red. 

The tough outer husk is coated with sharp, thorny thorns, and the tasty custard-like flesh within has a strong, unique odor. Some people find this odor to be delightful, whereas others find it to be overbearing or disagreeable. The seed can be consumed after boiling, drying, frying, or roasting.

Steps to cut the fruit include:

1. Wear hand gloves to protect your hands from thorns and pungent odor.
2. To begin, use a sharp knife to cut the stem off the top of the fruit.
3. Turn the fruit over and set it on a clean surface, stem side down.
4. Make an incision on the top of the durian fruit with a knife through the thick skin. Pull the skin back slowly.
5. Open the fruit entirely, mind not to hurt yourself.
6. Before consuming or boiling the fruit pulp, remove the huge pods of the fruit and stones or seeds from the meat.
7. Make these wonderfully delicious sweet delights with cut pieces of matured durian fruit and enjoy.

For over a century, travel writers have attempted to explain the taste and smell of durian, but no one has been close to describing it. This is due to the fact that no one has ever tasted such a peculiar flavor and experienced such a scent. 

Naturalists and food writers have compared the taste and smell of the fruit with many things, such as:

• A rich custard highly flavored with almonds 
• Cream cheese
• Onion sauce
• Sherry wine
• Turpentine
• Stale vomit
• Civet cat
• Sewage
• Gym sock

Additionally, durian contains the following nutrients:

• Iron
• Zinc
• Vitamin A
• Thiamine
• Riboflavin
• Niacin

Six health benefits of durian include:

1. Aids with healthy weight gain:
   • Durians are abundant in fats and carbs, making them an excellent choice for a healthy weight gain diet. 
   • Regularly eating durian will boost your calorie consumption and help you gain weight. 
   • Homemade durian cookies or durian ice cream are a high-calorie healthy treat.
   • If you are sensitive to the smell of this fruit, durian ice cream is a wonderful option because it keeps the flavor while decreasing the stench.
2. Reduces the risk of cancer:
   • Antioxidants in durian may reduce the risk of cancer. 
   • Polyphenols in the fruit inhibit the growth of cancer cells and even destroy them. 
   • Free radicals are well recognized for destroying healthy cells and promoting cancer development. 
   • Because durians' antioxidants fight free radicals, they may help reduce the risk of cancer.
3. Strengthens the bones:
   • Durian fruit is high in magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
   • These minerals aid in the maintenance of healthy bones by preserving bone mass and increasing bone density. 
   • Consuming durian fruit daily in moderation improves bone mineral density in both men and women.
4. May delay aging:
   • Vitamin C is abundant in durian, which reduces pigmentation and increases the production of collagen.
   • This vitamin is a potent antioxidant that reduces free radical-induced oxidative damage. 
   • The lower the levels of oxidative stress, the slower the aging process.
   • Durian is also high in other antioxidants. 
   • According to research, antioxidants can help minimize certain indicators of skin aging. 
   • Durian consumption may help minimize the indications of premature aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. 
   • However, a direct study in this area is limited.
5. Reduces the risk of heart diseases:
   • Heart disease is mostly caused by improper lifestyle behaviors such as a poor diet heavy in harmful fats and sweets. 
   • These bad lipids and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol can build up on the artery walls. As a result, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and atherosclerosis develop.
   • Durian has a high potassium content, which is beneficial to blood circulation and heart health. 
   • Furthermore, various studies have reported that durian may have cholesterol-lowering properties. 
   • Durian may help reduce the risk of liver disorders caused by fat buildup in the liver.
6. Regulates blood sugar levels:
   • The glycemic index of durian is low; therefore, the blood glucose level does not increase rapidly after consuming durian. 
   • Because of this, people with diabetes can better control their blood sugar levels.
   • Furthermore, durian's high fiber content aids with carbohydrate digestion. 
   • Fiber slows the gut absorption of sugars, thus inhibiting a surge in blood sugar levels.
   • Research suggests that consumption of durian increases insulin levels. 
   • Insulin is a hormone that the pancreas secretes. It aids in the maintenance of blood glucose levels. 
   • When insulin levels fall, glucose levels stay elevated. However, in the long term, this might result in a variety of illnesses.
   • Thus, eating durian can increase glucose metabolism in the body.

Although durian offers various health benefits, it has certain downsides when ingested unripe or in large quantities. Some people who are allergic to durian experience allergic responses.

In other cases, durian is not readily digested by some people, resulting in digestive issues such as abdominal discomfort and stomach cramps.

Consuming durian with alcohol might cause nausea and vomiting due to the fruit's sulfur-like chemicals. As a result, it is best to avoid eating durian and drinking alcohol at the same time.

People with serious gastrointestinal disorders and kidney troubles should avoid eating durian because it might increase toxins in the body and cause diarrhea. Consuming durian seeds can cause breathlessness.  

To avoid any health risks while eating or preparing durian, use only fresh food that shows no symptoms of damage or rotting.

Durian has a peculiar scent that is filthy, horrible, and regrettably quite powerful, because of which it is prohibited at several airports and hotels. There are additional limits on the long-distance movement and storage of this tropical fruit.