Durian: 8 unknown facts about this King of fruits!

Durian is the world’s smelliest fruit. The odor will linger with you for days after you have smelt or tasted it. It is the King of fruits and has great nutritive value.

Below are some unknown facts about the fruit.

1. Durian and the smell

The smell is unforgettable. You can get the odor even from a distance. Many people do not like the smell and hence are frightened to taste it. But many relish this seasonal fruit.

2. Thailand, Japan, and Hong Kong prohibit anyone to carry this fruit on public transport. And in Singapore, any person who is carrying this fruit is not allowed to board a taxi. There are signs put up in the taxi and public transport against its carriage.

3. Durian’s nutrition

Like other fruits, Durian is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Its fiber content is 23 g and high. It has ample quantities of iron, vitamin C, and potassium.

One cup of pulp provides 357 calories, 66 g of carbs, 13 g of fats, 9 g of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and several vitamins and minerals including manganese. It is rich in anthocyanins, carotenoids, polyphenols, and flavonoids.

Durian lowers blood pressure and improves skin texture. The fruit also strengthens the muscle. One should eat it in moderation.

Excessive consumption could give rise to stomach pain and even breathlessness. It could land the eater in the hospital.

You can consume it as a juice, as soup, as a side dish to the main course, in desserts and ice creams, or as a salad. Its seeds can be roasted or boiled to consume.

4. Raw vs ripe fruit

Young durian is greener and harder. They are taken as a vegetable. It is bitter at this time. As it ripens, it becomes sweet and sour and is ideal to eat.

But its consistency at this time is messier. The best durians to eat are those that fall to the ground on their own. They are just ripe enough to consume and not overripe to get messy.

5. The fruit is native to Borneo, Malaysia, and Indonesia. But now their farms exist in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Chinese island of Hainan. The biggest exporter of this fruit is Thailand.

6. Alfred Russel Wallace in his letter to Sir William Jackson Hooker in 1856 described the fruit thus:

“A rich custard highly flavored with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavor that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes.”

Chef Anthony Bourdain describes it:

“Your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother.”

7. The national fruit of Singapore is Durian. It inspired the architecture of some of its buildings such as The Esplanade Theater near Marina Bay.

8. The fruit can weigh as much as 7 pounds. It can be dangerous if it falls on someone’s head. The tree is fastidious and requires special soil conditions for growth. It is expensive.