Scientific publication on the nutritional value of du du du durian

It’s not very often that scientific articles about durian get published. The fruit is not the easiest subject to work with.

It’s glove-piercing thorns and distinct odor present some initial challenges. The fleshy interior goes through a change of state during ripening, from rubbery and unyielding to a slippery and flaccid yet flavorful fruit. Imagine opening 50 durians for research and resisting consuming them all… if I were behind the bench, I might be in the dangerous position of only doing research on the durians unworthy of consumption.

Several friends have asked me before if eating durian yields any benefit for health. Yes, I say. It contains a tremendous amount of fibre, protein and carbohydrates. Eating a whole durian is a meal. Just make sure you drink lots of water.

We can refer to the several publications on durian that have quantified these important nutritional constituents.

In this review article, the authors cite the proportions in the following order:

1) carbohydrates 27%

2) dietary fat 5.33%

3) fibres 3.1%

4) proteins 1.47%

Then there are the vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, folic acid, niacin, vitamin A, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc etc.

I’m not sure how much of these minerals and vitamins is contained in durian (in terms of the RDA) but I wouldn’t recommend eating durian for every meal... mostly because very few people would want to hang out with you!

My recommendation is to have it seasonally and only pick the best, make each bite or lick count.

Mr Asia: Not the Durian that caused my heart attack

It’s awkward to blame health issues on fruits (especially Durian!), and a former Mr. Asia champion realized this.

Malek doubts durians caused heart attack

By IVAN LOH
ivanloh@thestar.com.my

 

IPOH: Six-time Mr Asia Datuk Abdul Malek Noor does not think durians he consumed prior to a charity football match triggered his heart attack.

“I don’t think the durians had to do with the blockage (of the arteries),” he said when met at Pantai Hospital Ipoh yesterday.

A Malay tabloid had speculated that his attack was triggered by durians which Malek had eaten before the charity match.

Malek was part of a National Athletes Welfare Foundation delegation to Perak and the football match last Wednesday was part of a fund-raising programme.

He collapsed shortly after the charity match began.

Malek giving the thumbs up to indicate his recovery with his godsons (from left) Nik Amirul Hariz Nik Muhamad Nuzul, seven, and Nik Amirul Hafiz Nik Muhamad Nuzul, 10, at Pantai Hospital Ipoh yesterday. With them are Malek’s godbrother Baharuddin Yaakub, 65.

Malek, 54, said his heart had stopped beating before he was sent to Pantai Hospital Ipoh from Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.

“I told myself that this is not how I want to die. I prayed to Allah to give me a second chance and it was answered. I will live my life to the fullest after being granted a second life’ and promise to take good care of my health,” he said.

Malek is recovering well but is still being monitored closely after being moved from the intensive care unit to the normal ward.

“I can walk on my own but the medicine makes me drowsy. The doctor said I can be discharged from the hospital within four days,” he said.

He said that he experienced heart attack symptoms after returning from his umrah in Mecca last Saturday.

“There were times that my breathing was laboured and I felt tired easily. I thought it was the weather and I just brushed it aside, thinking it was nothing,” he said.

Malek said that Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir visited him on Saturday.

“He came with flowers and wished me a speedy recovery,” he said, adding that many concerned people had also visited him.

“Some of my Facebook friends from overseas said they are coming to visit me too,” he added.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/4/4/nation/8408603&sec=nation