Durian, The King of Fruits
Durian, known as King of fruits in Asia, is an exotic and controversial food. It is rich in healthy nutrients and medicinal properties, ranging from anti-aging to cancer prevention. But its odor can be unpleasant for some.
It is popular in Indonesia and throughout Asia. Its flesh emits a distinctive odor that is strong and penetrating, even when the shell is intact. Some people regard durian as having a pleasantly sweet scent; others find its aroma irresistible and revolting. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust. The smell has been variously described as rotten onions.
Durian health benefits are mainly due to its large amount of phytonutrients, protein and antioxidants. It is naturally rich in potassium, fiber, iron, vitamin C and vitamin B complex. The king of fruits is excellent for improving muscle strength, reducing blood pressure, and improving bowel movements and skin health. It also supports the nervous and immune systems and improves the formation of red blood cells.
Health benefits of Durian
Anti-aging: In Asian traditional medicine, durian is often hailed as a powerful anti aging food; in fact, this is one of the major reasons the Asian people call it the “king of fruits”. It turns out that this exotic fruit has a wide variety of antioxidant properties resulting from its vitamins and organic chemical compounds that actively reduce the amount of free radicals in the body.
Eating an excessive amount of this fruit can seriously increase the ability of your body to eliminate free radicals, thereby reducing the risk of premature aging and delay the onset of symptoms such as wrinkles, age spots, macular degeneration, hair loss, dental problems, arthritis, cancer, and heart disease. “Regular eating of durian is enough to make you feel and look years younger”, some Asians usually say.
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Indigestion: thanks to its rich fiber content, which is essential for normal functioning of gastrointestinal tract (GI tract or GIT), durian helps in the healthy functioning of the digestive system. Dietary fiber facilitates bowel movement, making it easier for the body to get rid of toxins in the intestinal tract. Fiber also stimulates secretion of digestive and gastric juices, and peristalsis: wave-like muscle contractions which move food to different processing channels in the digestive tract.
The king of fruits also helps reduce other conditions such as constipation and blockage in the intestines, and other common intestinal disorders such as bloating, excessive flatulence, heartburn, cramps and indigestion. It is also believed it can help prevent other serious diseases such as colorectal cancer.
Cancer: as mentioned earlier, durian is full of vitamins, nutrients and organic chemicals that function as antioxidant and anticancer. In the battle against cancers, fighting free radicals is vital the fact they contribute in the formation or reproduction of cancerous cells. These free radicals can destroy the DNA of regular cells and convert them into cancer cells, which can then form metastasize in patients or malignant growths (cancers) in healthy individuals. In fact, any antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress on the body is a booster to the immune system to prevent or fight against cancer. Durian is packed with antioxidant compounds including vitamin C, vitamin B complex and vitamin E, and phytonutrients that fight many cancers, mainly stomach and colorectal cancer.
Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease: being a good source of potassium, durian also helps in the prevention of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Being part of the salt and fluid balance in the cells of the body, potassium levels has an impact blood pressure. When healthy levels of potassium are present, blood vessels can relax, stress on the cardiovascular system reduced, and chances of developing diseases such as atherosclerosis, heart attacks and stroke also decreased.
Reduced stress on the arteries and veins also increases the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain. And studies have shown that the potassium level can therefore help boost cognitive and memory functions, and reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Insomnia: Durian contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid needed for the production of proteins and serotonin in the brain. This amino acid is also associated with healthy sleep. After turkey durian is one of the top sources of tryptophan. Adding this fruit to your diet helps tryptophan enters your brain which is then converted into serotonin, and induces a feeling of relaxation and happiness. If you suffer from insomnia, have a few pieces of durian before going to bed and you will see amazing results!
Bone Disease: Durian is an excellent source of magnesium, potassium, manganese and copper, all of which play an essential role in the development and maintenance of bone strength and durability. Potassium also increases the efficiency of nutrient uptake by the cells, so it maximizes the minerals intake by the body, thus benefiting bone health. These minerals help to prevent the development of osteoporosis and other bones diseases in people of any age.
Anemia: Durian contains different minerals, as well as high levels of folic acid, which is an essential component in the production of red blood cells. In addition, the fruit is a good source of iron and copper, two key components of red blood cells (RBC). The good news you have no need to worry about iron toxicity even if this fruit quickly increases your red cells production. Once the RBC production is back to normal, then the anemia symptoms disappear, which include indigestion, headaches, fatigue, anxiety and cognitive dysfunction.
Warning: durian has approximately 3 times more fat than most other fruits, with the exception of avocado. Although healthy fats, it may not be a good idea for people struggling with weight gain or obesity to regularly eat it.
