King of fruits and one of Singaporeans’ favourites – the durian. It
has gotten quite a bad reputation, citing its high fat, high sugar and
high total caloric value as reasons to avoid this fruit at all costs.
Let’s take a closer look at this delicious fruit.
Nutritional value:
Serving size: 1 fruit (602g)
Total calories: 968
Fats: 32g
Carbohydrates: 163g
Dietary fibre: 23g
Protein: 9g
Even
though durians contain a significant amount of fats and calories, the
fats in durians are non-saturated and there is zero cholesterol. Thus,
there are no negative effects of these fats on your health, except for
the fact that too much of the stuff will make you fat (the same goes for
any food actually)
Durians are also a good source of dietary fibre, Thiamin, Vitamin B6 and Manganese, and a very good source of Vitamin C.
The
interesting thing about durians is that they contain high levels of
tryptophan. This is an amino acid and a tryptamine (similar to
serotonin, melatonin, and DMT). Researchers have discovered that
tryptophan helps both anxious, depressed, repressed people, as well as
insomniacs. Tryptophan works by raising serotonin levels in the brain.
When serotonin levels increase, a euphoric feeling is felt. No wonder
durians are addictive!
The bad news? Durians
appear to be adored by all kinds of microorganisms. Over-ripe durian can
ferment in the stomach - and create unpleasant bloating sensations and
gut fermentation. Eating durians with other sugary foods is likely to
make this problem worse.
In addition, durians
contain very little antioxidants (due to its ability to protect itself
with its thick and thorny outer layer) so don’t expect to fight cancer
or aging with durians.
So the verdict on durians
is – have them once in a while and exercise portion control. After all,
they are much better than eating candies or ice cream or any other man
made junk with unpronounceable ingredients.