Benefits of Eating Durians

Durian is a little known fruit from Asia that has an extremely pungent smell and an amazingly sweet taste. The durian fruit has an unpleasant smell that many hotels in the areas where durian grows will not allow their guests to have the fruit in their rooms. But those who have the courage to bear the smell are quickly won over by its beautiful taste and amazing health benefits.

Unlike most fruits the durian is left to fall from the tree as this is a sign that it is ripe to eat. People in the local villages of South East Asia, where the durian is most common, call it “The King of Fruits,” and they will clear the floor under the trees near to harvest time and then camp near them for up to two months just to make sure they get the fruit at its peak. This is a truly exceptional and healing fruit.

Health Benefits of Durian

Traditionally the durian fruit was seen as a powerful aphrodisiac, while women would eat the ashes from burnt durian skins to help them recover after child birth. But concoctions made from the leaves of the durian tree were also used to help reduce swelling and cure skin disease. More recently nutritionists have claimed that the durian fruit can help lower cholesterol and cleanse the blood as well as cure jaundice and alleviate fevers.

Experts even say that you can rid yourself of yeast infections such as thrush through eating the durian fruit. This is because of the durian’s high iron content that helps the white blood cells in our body make specific chemicals that kill off the infection.

The durian is also packed with amino acids as well as Vitamins B, C and E and many people are even comparing the sweet custard like centre of the durian fruit to the goji berry for its high levels of anti oxidants. These anti oxidants help slow down the destruction of cells from free radicals such as pollution and smoking; in doing so, they decrease the effects of aging on the skin giving you a younger more refreshed look.

Among the amino acids found inside the durian is tryptophan. Tryptophan is essential for making and maintaining serotonin levels in the body. Serotonin is the hormone in the body that regulates our happiness. People with low serotonin levels tend to have short tempers, are often moody and suffer from depression. This means that not only will eating the durian fruit help keep your body running smoothly but it will also increase your general happiness and well being.