The health benefits of durians, according to a nutritionist
The durian season, which typically spans from June to September every year is when the mighty fruit is in its bountiful supply. You’ll find it at supermarkets, street stall buffets, restaurants and even online delivery services, allowing many to indulge in its flavours at more accessible and seasonal prices.
Known for their complex, creamy, and custard-like texture, durians are often described as polarising, eliciting strong reactions from those who relish their rich, almost savoury-sweet flavour, or those who find their pungent aroma off-putting. But beyond its reputation for captivating the senses, the culinary superstar offers some surprising health benefits worth exploring.
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To gain a deeper appreciation for the intricate nutritional profile of durians, we turn to the expertise of consultant dietitian Indra Balaratnam.
What are the nutritional components of durians?
Durians are rich in several nutrients and nutritious in their own right. According to the USDA Nutrient database, 100 grams (approximately three seeds) of durian has 147 calories, 1.5 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, 27 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of fibre. It also has numerous important minerals and vitamins that add to our nutritional needs as part of our overall diet for our health.
How do these nutritional components affect our overall well-being?
It contains carbohydrates that are a good source of energy to fuel our daily active lifestyle and sports. Durians are high in dietary fibre which promotes good digestive health and feeds our gut bacteria so that they thrive well. A high dietary fibre intake also helps regulate our blood sugar levels and prevents us from overeating.
The fat found in durians is mainly monounsaturated. Monounsaturated fat lowers our risk for heart disease as it helps to reduce bad cholesterol levels as part of a well-balanced diet and active lifestyle. For a fruit, durians are high in fat; the closest comparison would be an avocado. The fat content makes durians very rich and dense.
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Durians also contain protein, which is vital for muscle repair and growth. The protein in durians includes the essential amino acid tryptophan, which is needed to help our body produce serotonin, which can help regulate our mood and sleep.
A hundred grams of durian provides us with 32 per cent of our vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that strengthens our immune system, improves our skin elasticity and also helps our body absorb iron better from our foods.
As well, durians contain vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, B-complex vitamins (such as B6, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin), potassium, iron, and magnesium, all of which support various bodily functions.
"Many people tend to overeat durian because it's seasonal," says consultant dietitian Indra Balaratnam (Photo: Pexels)
What is the recommended quantity to eat for durians to stay within what’s a healthy limit?
Like all foods, durians can fit into our well-balanced diet and should also be consumed moderately. The recommended serving of durian in a day should be no more than three to four seeds. Hence, it is very easy to eat excessively, especially as any given fruit may have many seeds in it. Many people tend to overeat durians because it's seasonal and I guess their fear of missing out makes them overindulge on durians.
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How best then not to overindulge on durians?
Durians keep well in the freezer, so to help my clients consume durians in a more balanced way, I advise my clients to pack small portions of them to store in the freezer. When they want to eat it, they can thaw it out and enjoy it. This helps them to not over consume it when they buy too many fruits and feel the need to finish it all fast.
Another way to enjoy durians is to use them as an ingredient in your cooking and dishes. Durians add to the nutritional value of your dishes and help you to stay within the recommended consumption. There are many local recipes that you can look up to try.
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