One of its own kinds, durian fruit is delicious, soft, succulent and very popular for its unique characteristics. Durian is widely revered as the "King of Fruits" in the South-East Asian countries.

The durian tree is tropical in origin and belongs to family of Malvaceae, in the genus, Durio, a large family of plant species which also include some of the interesting relatives such as hibiscus, okra, etc. It is botanically known as Durio zibethinus.
 The exotic durian is native to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. While there are 30 known species of Durio exist, only 9 of them have been identified for producing edible fruits. Durian tree starts bearing fruits after four or five years after plantation. The tree can grow up to 50 meters in height depending on the species.

Durian is a seasonal fruit; its season lasts typically from June until August, which coincides with that of the other tropical specific fruits like mangosteen, jackfruit, and mango.

The fruit is distinctive for its large size, unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk. It can reach up to 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) in diameter, and typically weighs one to four kilograms (two to seven lb). In shape, it varies from round to oblong; colour of its husk (rind) is green with brown; and its flesh features creamy-yellow to saffron colour bulbs depending upon the species.

The flesh or pulp can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and is used as flavouring agent in a wide variety of culinary and sweet preparations in Southeast Asian cuisines. Durian seeds are small, round to oval shape and appear like that of jackfruit seeds. Although boiled seeds can be eaten safely, many discard them. The seeds feature a bland taste akin to jackfruit seeds.

Its edible flesh emits a distinctive odour which can be described as strong and penetrating, even when the husk is intact. This unusual stinky and intense odour of the durian fruit may have prompted many people to express diverse and peculiar opinions ranging from deep appreciation to disgusting!

Health benefits

Durian, like other tropical fruits such as Banana, avocado, and jackfruit, is high in energy, minerals and vitamins. 100 g fresh fruit carry 147 calories.

The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh made of simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly. Though it contains a relatively higher amounts of fats among the fruits, it is free from saturated fats and cholesterol.

Durian is rich in dietary fibre, which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fibre content helps protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time to toxins. It also helps bind and eliminate cancer-causing chemicals from the gut.

The durian fruit is a good source of antioxidant vitamin-C (about 33% of RDA). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the human body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.

The fruit is an excellent source of health benefiting B-complex groups of vitamins; a rare feature among fruits, such as niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential for the body as it requires them from external sources to replenish.

Further, it also contains a good amount of minerals like manganese, copper, iron and magnesium. Manganese is utilized by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation.

Fresh durian fruit is a very rich source of potassium. Potassium is an important electrolyte inside cells and body fluids that help controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Additionally, it also contains high levels of essential amino acid, tryptophan (also referred as "nature's sleeping pill"). Tryptophan in the humans metabolizes into serotonin and melatonin; the two neuro-chemicals that play a vital role in sleep induction and controlling epileptic events.

Digestive aid: Durian, like many “meaty” fruits, contain high levels of dietary fibre, which are essential to the normal function of multiple systems in the body, most notably the digestive system. Fibre causes bowel movement to increase in bulk, which makes it easier for them to move through the intestinal tract.

Fibre also stimulates peristaltic motion and the secretion of digestive and gastric juices, further easing the entire process. By reducing conditions like constipation and blockage in the intestines, conditions like bloating, excess flatulence, heartburn, cramps, and indigestion can be reduced, as well as serious conditions like colorectal cancer. Much of the fibre in durian is insoluble fibre, which also lowers the frequency of diarrhoea for people with loose stool.

Fibre also helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood by scraping LDL cholesterol out of the body and quickly removing it before it can do any damage to the cardiovascular system in the form of plaque build-up.

Blood pressure and cardiovascular health: Durian is a rich source of potassium, and since potassium is such an integral part of the salt and fluid balance throughout the cells of the body, potassium levels also dictate blood pressure. When plenty of potassium is present, the blood vessels can relax, reducing the stress on the cardiovascular system, and reducing the chances of developing conditions like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes. Reduced stress on the veins and arteries also increases oxygenated blood flow to the brain, and studies have shown that potassium levels can therefore help boost cognitive function and memory, reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia!

Anti-aging: In traditional, herbal medicine, durian was often hailed as a tool to battle aging, and was one of the main reasons why people call it the “king of fruits”. It turns out that durian has a wide variety of antioxidant properties stemming from its vitamin and organic chemical makeup that actively reduce the amount of free radicals in the body. Eating an excessive amount of durian can seriously boost your body’s ability to eliminate those free radicals, thereby reducing the chances of premature aging and delaying the appearance of symptoms such as wrinkles, age spots, macular degeneration, hair loss, tooth loosening, arthritis, cancer, and heart disease. Eat enough durian, and you can feel, look, and act younger than you have in years!

Insomnia: Durian contains tryptophan, the organic chemical closely associated with falling asleep after Thanksgiving, since it is found in massive doses in turkey.  By adding tryptophan to your diet, it enters your brain, is converted to serotonin, which induces a feeling of relaxation and happiness. The excess serotonin then releases melatonin into the bloodstream, which causes the body to feel tired, and eventually pass out. If you suffer from insomnia, have a few pieces of durian before you try to fall asleep and see the results for yourself!

Sexual dysfunction: A number of studies have recently been conducted to evaluate the potential of durian meat to act as an aphrodisiac. The results are in, and it can produce intensified sexual libido and stamina, and also reduce the chances of infertility in men and women, and increase sperm motility. All in all, it is an aphrodisiac in every sense of the word!

Cancer prevention: As mentioned earlier, durian has a wealth of vitamins, nutrients, and organic chemicals that function as antioxidants. In the battle against cancer, free radicals are vitally important, because during cell metabolism, there are by-products created, called free radicals. These free radicals can destroy the DNA of regular cells and convert them to cancer cells, which can then metastasize or form fatal, tumorous growths. All of the antioxidants which reduce oxidative stress on the organs of the body are bonuses to the immune system, and durian is packed with them, including vitamin-C, vitamin-B complex, and vitamin E, as well as phytonutrients that battle cancerous cells.

Bone health: Durian is a great source of magnesium, potassium, manganese, and copper, all of which play an integral role in developing and sustaining bone strength and durability. Potassium also increases the efficiency of nutrient uptake by the cells, so it maximizes how many beneficial minerals the body takes in, also benefiting bone health. These essential minerals help to prevent the development of osteoporosis for patients of any age!

Anaemia: Durian has many different minerals inside of it, but there are high levels of folic acid within durian as well, which is an essential component in the production of red blood cells. Also, durian is a good source of iron and copper, two other essential components of red blood cells; once RBC production is back to normal, then symptoms of anaemia will disappear, which include indigestion, migraines, fatigue, anxiety, and cognitive malfunction.

A few Words of Warning: The only real danger of eating durians is the fat content. It has about 3 times more fat than most other fruits, with the exception of avocado. They are generally healthy fats, but for those people battling weight gain and obesity, other sources for these other health benefits should be sought out instead.