You will see warnings in VietNam hotels not to bring this fruit into the hotel rooms. After you have smelled it you know why.
There are a lot of fruits that have B 1 2 nd 3 this is one.



Durian (Sau rieng)




You may wonder why this kind of fruit has to bear such a austere name sau rieng (ones’own sorrows). If you are curious enough, let’s travel to orchard provinces in southern Vietnam and the locals are likely to recite to you an immortal love story.
Long ago there lived a young couple in the region. Because of some social prejudices that could not be over come the couple had to find their death to be faithful to their love for ever. Their own sorrows have received the populace’s sympathies and the story of their straggly has been handed down from generation to generation. To commemorate the couple locals have named their one of the local valuable fruits sau rieng.
Durian is an expensive fruit. One durian fruit is from five to six times larger then a mangosteen. Its skin is thick, rough and covered with sharp thorns. Yet, with a gentle cut between the edges of the outer shell you can easily open the fruit to see layers of brightly yellow segments of meat as if the pulpits covered with a thin layer of butter.Health Benefits Side Effect

Durian fruit is delicious, soft and sweet from inside but has thorny spikes that cover the exteriors.
It belongs to the genus Durio. It is known for its unique taste and also for its nutritional value. In South-East countries, it is referred to as “King of Fruits”.
It is seasonal fruit that grows from June to August same as Mango and Jackfruit. It is known for its large size and fully matured fruit can reach a size of 30 centimeters easily. Even Durian trees are usually very tall and range between 25-50 meters!

Strong odor of Durian is quite famous as it evokes radically opposite reactions from people. Some consider it sweet and aromatic whereas many people find it intensely revolting and disgusting.
Durian fruit has pleasant sweet and buttery taste. Durian fruit contains round seed and are usually discarded, but they can be consumed.
These seeds taste like Jackfruit seed after boiling and roasting. In fact Durian and Jackfruit have many similarities but it must be mentioned that they are not related to each other in any way.
Durian is a native of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia but the largest exporter of this fruit is Thailand. It is a tropical fruit and can be grown in any tropical climate.
However, it cannot sustain itself in average temperatures below 22 degrees.
This write-up will introduce the readers to wonderful health benefits and nutrition composition of this much loved and at the same time an detested fruit!
See also: 45 Healthiest Fruit List On The Earth
Durian is a high energy fruit with above moderate levels of sugar content.
But that should not deter you from consuming it as there is an entire nutrition profile that boasts of healthy character of this fruit.
The Water content of Durian is reasonably 65% and cholesterol is zero even though it has a considerable amount of fats.
Apart from dietary fiber, Durian is a rich source of Vitamin B1 and fulfills about 33% of our daily requirement. It also makes up 24% of our daily need of Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C.
Trace metals like manganese, Potassium and magnesium are also profusely abundant ranging between 8% to 15% of our requirement. This high nutrition density translates into important health benefits.
We have mentioned a lot of good words for this fruit till now, but now it is time to tell the readers about how and why this sweet and luscious fruit is good for you.
With its numerous health benefits enumerated in details, you will have no reason not to include it in your fruit intake hereon.
1. Increases Immunity
The immune system is a biological structure and processes that protect the body from infections and diseases. This system is critical for an organism’s health and its survival.
The main function of immune system is to distinguish between our healthy body and its cells and the invading parasites, virus, free radicals and other harmful agents.
It identifies and destroys the undesirable pathogens thereby safeguarding our health.
Antioxidants like Vitamin C keep our immune system working in its best shape.
Durian fruit contains high amounts of Vitamin C that protect against free radicals that are produced as a result of the reaction between certain molecules and oxygen.
An optimum level of Vitamin C can clean and purify our systems effectively. They work like servicing engineers of our electrical appliances.
Thus, Vitamin C provides immunity towards common diseases like cold and flu. It is also effective in protecting from infections and viral attacks.
Wrap up: High levels of antioxidants in form of Vitamin C help in optimizing immune system and strengthening it to provide protection from pathogens.
2. Alleviates Anemia
Anemia is a common medical condition that brings down the level of hemoglobin the blood.
Hemoglobin transports oxygen to various parts of our body, and its deficiency can lead to fatigue, headaches, persistent drowsiness, insomnia, and breathlessness.
In pregnant women, anemia can lead to abnormality and even fatality in the fetus.
Durian fruits contain high amount of folate or folic acid.
Folate is required for the production of hemoglobin. It stimulates the production of blood that improves the functionality of the body and effective oxygen distribution.
This way this folic acid can prove to be a great deterrent for anemia. The iron content though is low in Durian, but it also aids in hemoglobin production alleviating the condition of anemia.
Wrap up: Folic acid and Iron in durian fruit can be used effectively to cure and prevent anemia.
3. Bone Health
Durian contains some trace metals including Potassium and calcium.
Calcium is present in a low density in Durian, but Potassium fulfills about 9% of our body’s daily requirement.
Calcium is the most abundant mineral of our bones, but potassium regulates distribution and deposition.
If there is a lack of potassium in your body, then most of the calcium consumed will get excreted out. It may, in turn, lead to a deficiency of Calcium.
Potassium is required for development of healthy bones as it ensures that the calcium is deposited in bones and is not dissolved or released in the blood excessively.
Potassium balances sodium and thus reduces the loss of calcium through kidney.
So potassium directly increases capacity of the body to absorb calcium and thus  improves bone health and prevents osteoporosis and other bone related disorders.
Wrap up: The Potassium content of Durian balances sodium and regulates the distribution and release of calcium in blood thereby making bones stronger and preventing bone related diseases.
See also: Greek Yoghurt Health Benefits
4. Improves Sleep & allays Depression
Durian fruit contains amino acids known as Tryptophan– a natural sleep-inducing compound.
Tryptophan is required to metabolize serotonin and melatonin. Both of these neurochemicals are beneficial in improving mood.
Many studies have found Tryptophan effective in treating and relieving stress, anxiety appetite and depression.
It is used in treating insomnia that sometimes is the direct result of aforementioned psychological disturbances.

Tryptophan slows down transmissions to brain thereby calming it and relieving from incessant thoughts.
When the brain is not busy with interpretations of transmissions, it relaxes, and this is what helps in sleeping.
A meal rich in Carbohydrates is encouraged with a diet that has Tryptophan because it releases insulin that clears the amino acids that compete with Tryptophan, thereby making it more efficient.
Wrap up: Tryptophan in Durian makes it highly effective for sleep related disorders and calming the brain activity.
5. Maintains Blood Pressure
Durian fruit contains high amounts of potassium and a moderate quantity of Sodium. Both of these factors make Durian a blood pressure optimizing fruit.
Potassium is responsible for all muscle functions in the body including the heart. It regulates heart beat and ensures a smooth blood pumping operation in the body.
Potassium is also required to maintain sodium level. Sodium is harmful and can create a spike in blood pressure readings.
Durian itself has a very low amount of sodium making it for safe consumption by patients with hypertension.
A well-balanced blood pressure does not stress out heart and blood vessels resulting in a healthier Cardiovascular system.
Wrap up: High amount of Potassium and low sodium content in Durian controls and regulates ideal blood pressure.
6. Fights Cancer
Durian fruit contains a good amount of antioxidants in the form of  Vitamin B-complex, C and E.
These antioxidants are important nutrients that make durian fruit healthy.

Antioxidants are required to protect the body from oxidative stress caused by active oxygen in the body. Free radical destroys healthy cells DNA and change the function of cells turning them cancerous.
But antioxidants neutralize these free radicals and act as a shield to protect cells from damage.
Wrap up: The Antioxidant composition of Durian protects from cancer by scavenging on free radicals produced in the body.
7. Improves Digestion
Durian fruit contains fiber that provides roughage which is critical in absorbing fats and making your stools easy to pass.
The insoluble fiber in dietary items is specially helpful in preventing constipation by adding bulk to stools and also softening them simultaneously.
People who suffer from chronic constipation or experience the painful problem of piles frequently can get a lot of relief by adding fibrous fruits like Durian in their diet.
Apart from fiber, the high amount of Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B3 improves appetite and regulates healthy digestion. Durian also improves metabolism that in turn leads to better absorption of nutrients in the body.
Wrap up: Fiber in Durian prevents constipation and improves bowel movement. Vitamin B1 and B3 regulates healthy appetite further aiding digestion.
8. Weight Loss
Unhealthy weight is the top reason for other health problems like blood pressure, Cardiovascular disorders, lethargy, etc.
Unfortunately, it is also a common challenge being faced by almost every second person. Though active lifestyle can make a lot of difference, the right diet is also equally important.
Fruits like Durian can make your weight shedding sessions sweet and healthy.
The high amount of fiber, Nil cholesterol, complete composition of minerals and heavy water content makes Durian a snack for weight loss.
It does have fat but they are the healthy fats and contribute to fats deposit only marginally.
Durian is also a high energy fruit that keeps you full and energetic for workout sessions and active through the day.
However, the consumption of Durian must be kept strictly moderate, or it will have the exact reverse effect.
Wrap up: Durian is a high energy and nil cholesterol fruit which has fiber and electrolyte balancing minerals making it a perfect workout companion and helping you in losing weight.
See also: 7 Buckwheat Nutrition Facts N Health Benefits
9. Aging of the Skin
Aging is natural and inevitable but with right diet you can slow it down, at least, the symptoms of it.
Also, nowadays most of the people are experiencing an early onset of aging in the form of premature graying of hair, wrinkling skin and hair loss.
It is mainly the result of an increase in pollution, hectic lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits. To combat this problem, include antioxidant rich food items like Durian in your diet.
Antioxidants purify and clean your body’s system by throwing out free radicals and other harmful agents from the body.
The high water content of Durian is an added advantage along with its antioxidant content.
Water keeps the skin hydrated, reduces dryness and alleviates the appearance of fine lines. It also nourishes skin for clear and smooth skin.
Wrap up: Antioxidants and high water content in Durian nourishes and cleans your skin resulting in disappearance of fine lines and lending a youthful glow.
10. Increases and encourages fertility
Estrogen is a hormone that helps in conceiving.
Most of the women who suffer from fertility usually have a low estrogen level in their body which is increased with pills, injections, and supplements.
Studies have shown that Durian contains a high level of this hormone and can act as an herbal medicine.
Apart from this valuable property, Durian has no cholesterol and can be very useful in weight loss programs.
Unhealthy weight and obesity increase the risk of miscarriage during pregnancy.
You may eat durian in controlled and recommended quantity after talking to your physician especially in the case of infertility.
Wrap up: Due to high amount of estrogen in it, Durian alleviates infertility and helps in conceiving naturally. It also reduces the risks associated with high and unhealthy weight during pregnancy.
Side Effects of Durian
Durian has a high sugar content so diabetics better avoid it or eat only in moderation.
Though it improves fertility and supports pregnancy with estrogen, high sugar is considered harmful during pregnancy. So it is recommended that they consume this fruit only after talking to their doctor.
Durian is considered to be a fruit that increases body heat. If eaten in excess it can lead to stomach spasms, nausea, stomachache, and flatulence.
Though Durian does not have cholesterol, it sure is a fatty fruit with 5 grams of fats per 100 grams serving. So though the fat content is not as harmful as animal fat, it sure can increase the level of cholesterol indirectly if consumed in excess



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2017 01:12PM by riverhousebill.

Nice find, rhb. It was a nice summary but it didn't include the contraindication for alcohol.
[www.google.com]

So are you going to tell us about durian in vietnam? How much is it? How much do you eat? What and how long are the seasons?

I have 2 cats that love durian and i have to never leave durian on the counter or they will eat it if i turn my back. The first time i brought durian home when my feral cat was little, he cried and cried until i opened the back door. Then he came to me and meowed some more. Finally i realized that he could smell it from outside the house and wanted some. Imagine that he wanted it from the smell only. So i have to give him a little when i buy durian. My other cat loves it too.

I buy frozen durian for $1.80 lb, which is about $14 for a medium size one. A fresh durian could easily cost $40 and the season is short.

Tai, I'm not into alcohol at all, But a few nights ago when visiting wifes friends they kept trying to get me to drink rice whiskey with them I declined about six times then gave in to be polite and had 3 shots. Id heard Durain could kill but never looked to see how. I thought by eating before certain time, or something like that but never looked into it. Not so smart on my part.
I had some durain the day before.

I don't eat it often. But I like the taste very much.

China has decreased its import of durian from Vietnam. As a result, prices on the local market have collapsed. This is causing problems for local farmers, of whom many in recent years have switched to durian production because of the crop's good returns.
Durian prices were not particularly bad at the start of the season, at around 60,000 Vietnamese dong about 60 cents per kilogram. However, at the start of the week, wholesale prices dropped considerably to 45,000 dong per kilogram

Many die here in Vietnam by making rice whisky wrong way, all the countryside men love this rice whisky and its always homemade.
Country side men often are skinny because they drink so much rice whisky and then don't eat. You can see this in these men compared to those who live in large towns and cities.
Everyone knows when you have eaten some durain- Durain breath sure sticks with you.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/24/2017 12:50AM by riverhousebill.

Are these exotic fruits still nutritious when they have to be harvested weeks or months before being consumed because they have to be shipped across continents?

Quote

Half of Europe’s peas are grown and packaged in Kenya.
In the United States, FreshDirect proclaims kiwi season has expanded to “All year!” now that Italy has become the world’s leading supplier of New Zealand’s national fruit, taking over in the Southern Hemisphere’s winter.

[www.nytimes.com]

Maybe the fresh backyard tomato is fresher and more nutritious



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2017 11:51PM by RawPracticalist.

rawpracticalist here in Vietnam most veggies and fruits are picked the day they are sold.
In America so much of the food is embalmed to give shelve life, anther reason for the numbers of cancers and Illness.

maybe a move to another country might be more healthy? Maybe if laws were passed to stop using toxic chems to embalm foods for extended shelve life
would be also more heathly?
And just maybe if the nation in our world that cunsumes most of the worlds resorces consumed a little less it would make it more healthy.
FOUR HUNDRED MILLION TONS EACH YEAR- 13 TONS EVERY SINGLE SECOND!
Of toxins produced on our planet earth.
And people wonder why all the cancer???????
Toxins overtaking the planet!
one good result from global warming maybe we will be able to grow mangos in in Alaska.

In Vietnam the food is picked most cases same day, But we do have a huge problem now with chemical farming new the past 20 years. Some of the chemicals are worse than anything we have seen in states.
The old timers here have taken notice of the rise in cancers since importing nasty chems. Some foods are imported here from China and anything seems to go with what they will put on foods.
recently there was a bust here in Vietnam with a vegie co. that was caught useing cloth dye to make veggies look better.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2017 03:05AM by riverhousebill.

RHB:
China has decreased its import of durian from Vietnam. As a result, prices on the local market have collapsed. This is causing problems for local farmers, of whom many in recent years have switched to durian production because of the crop's good returns.
Durian prices were not particularly bad at the start of the season, at around 60,000 Vietnamese dong about 60 cents per kilogram. However, at the start of the week, wholesale prices dropped considerably to 45,000 dong per kilogram

Tai:
45 to 60 cents per kilo? sounds like durian heaven. Wow.
I was talking to a westerner who was visiting Chiang Mai thailand in January and he said that when durian is out of season in thailand, a fresh one can cost up to $40 US. I also heard there is a restaurant in Chiangmai that has a fruit buffet, all you can eat for $10 US, which includes durian. So that seems to be the cheapest for Durian in thailand.
anyway, thanks for the info. I am going to seek out vietnamese importers of durian. thus far, I had only bought durian from thailand. Recently I bought a case of young coconuts from vietnam and they were very good...different from the thai kind, but great in their own way.

RHB
I don't eat it often. But I like the taste very much.

Tai
You are taking it for granted. It's so plentiful that you don't bother eating it much. But actually you are so lucky, you should take advantage of this.
It is very sweet, so I mix it with other things, such as black sesame butter. If you make a fruit salad with tart fruits, you can add some sweet durian.
It would be a sad story to hear of a durian rotting from not being eaten, especially since so many animals love it.


RHB:
Many die here in Vietnam by making rice whisky wrong way, all the countryside men love this rice whisky and its always homemade.
Country side men often are skinny because they drink so much rice whisky and then don't eat

Tai:
Wow, thanks for sharing. That sheds some light on the myth that durian and alcohol can cause death. Maybe these men were already walking a deadly tightrope to begin with.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2017 10:39PM by Tai.

Raw Practicalist:

Are these exotic fruits still nutritious when they have to be harvested weeks or months before being consumed because they have to be shipped across continents?

Tai:
For me, sharing fruit from across the globe is precious, as long as it's not chemically treated and irradiated. That's where I stand personally.

My american herbal teacher said to eat under your own fig tree. Very good advice. Fresh is best. But Chinese herbs are mostly grown in China and until they are grown elsewhere, you have to accept life as it exists. What is wrong with sharing crops from other countries, if chemicals can be avoided?

Anyway, how do you define a coconut? a fruit or a nut? To me, coconuts are the gift of mother earth for all inhabitants and they are still good sent across the world. The same for avocados, citrus, sapote, aloe vera, etc, etc, etc....

I think better times are ahead with technological advances in transportation.

We will be getting fresh fruits from any part of the world in less than a day.


A century ago it used to take months by ship to travel from new york to paris.

Now it takes 4 hours by plane. Tomorrow less than 30 minutes.

A NEXT-GENERATION jet could take passengers from London to New York in just 11 minutes, according to its creator.

[www.telegraph.co.uk]

So pretty soon I could spend the weekend in a tropical land and feast in fresh coconut, papayas.

For anyone trying durian for the first time, if you buy a frozen durian, the fruit should be soft, slightly creamy when thawed. In that state, it's very sweet and delicious.

However, once in a while, you might get a freezer burned durian. The meat is usually rubbery, stiff, not very sweet and stinks when thawed. Durian lovers will probably still eat the freezer burned durian, because it was expensive, but it's disappointing. Even my cats that go crazy for durian don't care for the freezer burned ones.

There are some tips to avoid the freezer burned ones. Supermarkets that have open freezers with lots of ice will have a higher percentage of freezer burn and those with enclosed freezers with no ice will have fewer.

Don't judge a fruit by having only one. If someone bought only one young coconut and the water was pink, he would be wrong to judge coconut water. Pink water is bad. Sometimes you have to eat several fruits to really understand.

I bought my first durian for Thanksgiving.




I have pardoned my turkey.





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2017 03:22AM by RawPracticalist.

Wow, Raw Practicalist, Happy thanksgiving!

I enlarged the picture and saw the prices from $5/lb to $12/lb. That was a sacrifice! I pay $2/lb.

I HOPE your durian was good. Was it exquisite? Tell us.

Vietnam Durian Varieties



Vietnam has between 20 and 30 native varieties, most of them unnamed. There’s some debate whether durian first arrived from Thailand, Malaysia, or even the Philippines but there seems to be a mix of large-spiked Thai varieties and small-spiked Malaysian. Most varieties are very mild and taste more like vanilla than durian, although I thought the wild highlands durian were some of the best durians I have ever tasted, comparable to those I enjoyed in Penang.

Here are a few of the more popular durian varieties in Vietnam.



Sau Rieng Ri 6

The most popular durian variety in Vietnam, Ri 6 is the variety found in Ho Chi Minh City and other cities. It has a distinctively bright yellow color, similar to the intense coloration of a Musang King durian in Malaysia. The flesh is thick and fibrous, with a strong egg-flavor that reminds me of many Thai varieties.


Sau Rieng Chin Hoa

This durian is named after the farmer who discovered it 30 years ago, Mr. Van Hoa from Cho Lak. It’s large and very round, like a pumpkin, with a huge amount of flesh. I was not impressed by the one we tried, but I think it was overripe.


Sau Rieng Bi
Found in the Mekong Delta



Sau Rieng Cuon Bo Co’m Sa’u

(Cow House Milk Meat)

This durian tastes like whipped cream. It would be great for those new to durian or who don’t like durian, as it has almost no durian flavor and tastes a lot like sweetened milk or cream. Found in the Mekong Delta.



Sau Rieng Hat Lep Tieng Giang

(Small seed durian from Tieng Giang province)

This is a very fleshy durian, as indicated by its name: the small seed. There are numerous “small seed” durians in Vietnam, each one named after the province of its origin. We found this one in the Tieng Giang province of the Mekong Delta.



Sau Rieng Kho Qua Xanh

(Green Vegetable)

This is the “kampung” of Vietnamese durian. It has large seeds, small flesh, but a strong flavor and smell. It’s the cheapest durian and sells for as low as 15,000 dong/kilo. Most people told me this wasn’t a good one, but it was actually my favorite durian in Vietnam.


Dona

The Dona durian is actually a Thai Monthong grown on a Vietnamese rootstock. It’s registered under the company Dona Techno. Company officials believe it to be slightly sweeter than Monthong grown in Thailand.

Tai not trying to be the bearer of bad news, I was serching for info on Vietnams many types of Durian and came across this police bust in Kon Tum.
Greed knows no borders and this trick is not just unique to Vietnam ,
People big and small will feed you Known Toxins for a bloody nickle world wide.

Im going to be much more carful where I buy my fruits after reading of this bust!

The bucket of fruit ripening agents found at a durian wholesaler in Vietnam’s Kon Tum Province.


Tuyet confessed to the police that the chemical was a toxic fruit ripening agent that she had bought without knowledge of its origin.

Durians soaked in this agent ripen in about two days, saving time and money, while increasing the fruit's value on the market, Tuyet said.

According to the owner, the batch of durians – weighing two metric tons in total – were set to be distributed to smaller retailers in Kon Tum and Hanoi after undergoing the artificial ripening.

Kon Tum police booked the violation and confiscated all the durians to be publicly destroyed.

Bui Thi Hoa, deputy chief of Kon Tum’s environmental crime prevention unit, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Monday that the use of ripening agents among local fruit wholesalers were not uncommon despite various health warnings.

“However, to catch them red-handed is a tough task,” Hoa said.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2017 03:13AM by riverhousebill.

RHB:
Tuyet confessed to the police that the chemical was a toxic fruit ripening agent that she had bought without knowledge of its origin.

Durians soaked in this agent ripen in about two days, saving time and money, while increasing the fruit's value on the market, Tuyet said.

Tai
Thanks for the tip. Really sad.
Frozen durians come in many shapes and sizes. there are some durians that have green on the outside and it's obvious that they are less ripe than the ones with no green. But some durians are almost splitting open and very round because they are so ripe naturally. One must really research the farm or operation.
Well, thanks for that. I always want to know about chemicals.

This might explain the "freezer burned" durians. It might be that those durians were picked too early and underwent "ripening". That could explain how the meat is somewhat rubbery...because it wasn't left long enough on on the tree.

I did go to the durian store in new york. [www.facebook.com]
It is actually not far from my work place.
But the fruit was out of season they told me so they had only the frozen ones.
From 5 to 10 dollars a pound.
Bought 5 pounds. Creamy and sweet.
Waiting for when they are in season.

Most of us will never have this problem. This is a tale of a fruitarian couple that has lived on durian. They have some videos that show rare colorful durians in Indonesia.


Why Too Much Durian Is Bad For You

[www.youtube.com]

30 DURIANS FOR DINNER - Mukbang

[www.youtube.com]