Durian – The King of Fruit

Would you eat a fruit that makes your house smell bad?  I’m guessing, probably not!

Are you wondering what stinky fruit I’m talking about?  Well, it is durian, the king of fruit.  Yes, I have eaten this foul smelling fruit and guess what?  I like it!

The first time I tried durian, I really didn’t know if I liked it or not.  Here is a video showing my first time tasting durian.  My face tells the real story…notice the frowns.

I can’t tell you why I enjoyed eating durian the second time around, but I just did.  I knew I would enjoy the king of fruit, because the smell didn’t bother me.

What is a durian?

Durian is the most exotic and sensual of all Southeast Asian fruits.  It grows throughout Vietnam, Indochina, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

Durians grow only in tropical climates on a jungle tree that can exceed 30 meters (100 feet) in height.

The strong, pungent odor of durian is good to some, but sickening to others.  You should taste this fruit before you make any judgments.  It might smell bad, but you may actually like it.

Its consistence and flavour are indescribable.  A rich butterlike custard highly flavored with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but intermingled with it come wafts of flavours that call to mind cream cheese, onion sauce, brown sherry, and other incongruities.  Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy.  It is neither acid nor sweet or juicy, yet one feels the want of none of these qualities, for it is prefect as it is.  It produces no nausea or other bad effect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop.  In fact to eat durians is a new sensation, worth a voyage to the East to experience. – Alfred Russell Wallace, Famous Naturalist, The Malay Archipelago

Durian fruit is one of the largest tree fruits in the world.  I guess that’s why it is called “the king of fruit.”

Benefits of Eating Durian

• Contains high levels of tryptophan (amino acid) – helps anxious, depressed, repressed people and also insomniacs.
• Strong blood cleanser
• Strong beautifying characteristics – high in raw oleic fats (and vitamin E), sulfur compounds and soft proteins
• Excellent muscle builder due to the high concentration of protein
• Singapore lore/legend – attractor and an aphrodisiac

Final Thoughts about Durian

Although this fruit has an awful smell, I don’t think it smells all that bad.  I actually like the smell.  I can’t wait to purchase more.

You won’t catch me ever knocking a food, until I’ve given it a try.  Don’t let the bad smell fool you.  There’s a lot of  tasty goodness in the king of fruit.   Give it a try, you’ll be so glad, or not so glad you did. 

Have you ever tried durian? If you yes, tell us about it!

Your health is your wealth!

Source:  Eating for Beauty by David Wolfe

Photo credit:  Flickr

Tags: fruit, protein

Category: Diet and Nutrition