Durian Fruit-Smell Like Hell But Taste Like Heaven

Durian-- Smells Like Hell But Taste Like Heaven

I was shopping on line via Doordash the other day. I learned that fresh frozen durian is available at 99 Ranch Market at fairly reasonable price($17.29) for the above package. I have not tasted the fresh fruit, but enjoyed the fresh frozen vacuum packed because the smell is not that overpowering. 

Durian is a tropical fruit and sometimes known as the King of Fruits. A lot of fans of the fruit describes it as a fruit that smells like hell but tastes like heaven. I agree! For complete description of the fruit see the information from Wikipedia at the bottom of this page.

The other item I purchased at 99 Ranch Market was Pia Cake($4.99)of mung bean and Durian imported from Vietnam. There are 4 cakes in the package. It is similar to the Filipino Hopia. I enjoyed this dessert with mango sorbet( photo below).

Here my other purchases from 99 Ranch Market-grocery store specializing on Asian Foods, Sea Foods and Groceries-

 

Here an article on the 7 Health Benefits of Durian   

1. Durian makes you happy

The yummy durian flesh is not the only reason for that smile on your face. This decadent fruit actually has happy chemicals to make you feel good.

Durian contains the amino acid tryptophan which gets converted to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that induces feelings of happiness and relaxation. So your mood naturally improves after eating durian.

2. Durian helps to regulate sleep

Surprise, surprise, the king of fruits can make you sleep better. Tryptophan (an essential amino acid) in durian is converted to melatonin, a hormone that controls your sleep cycle. The higher your melatonin levels, the easier it is to fall asleep. If you have trouble snoozing, swop your usual bedtime snack for durian – just one seed is enough! Remember to gurgle away the durian breath thoroughly after that.

3. Durian helps to control blood pressure

Durian is rich in potassium, an electrolyte that helps to maintain blood pressure levels. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to several health complications such as heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. According to latest stats from the Ministry of Health, almost one in four Singapore residents aged 30 to 69 has hypertension.

4. Durian is an excellent source of energy

Durian is great as a pre-workout snack. It’s high in carbohydrates, which gives a quick release of energy to keep you going strong during exercise.

Two medium seeds (54g) contain 89 calories, and give you almost the same amount of carbohydrates as a medium banana.

5. Durian improves bone health

Iron and copper are minerals that are essential for strong bones. And durian is rich in those minerals. A study by the National Centre For Biotechnology Information showed that having a higher iron intake helped to increase bone density, whereas higher calcium intake had a negligible effect on bones.

6. Durian can give you good skin

With 11.6mg of vitamin C per serving (two medium seeds), durian contains more vitamin C than most tropical fruits. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties to fight free radicals in your body, thus reducing the appearance of pigmentation and wrinkles.

Environmental factors like exposure to cigarette smoke and ultraviolet rays from the sun causes free radical damage to the skin.

7. Durian increases sex drive

Durian is known to be a libido-boosting food among Asians. In fact, there’s a well-known traditional Indonesian saying: When the durians fall, the sarong goes up.

Even if durian doesn’t improve your libido significantly, it contains many vitamins and minerals that are great for your overall well-being.

Reference:   https://www.herworld.com/life/wellness/7-surprising-benefits-eating-durian-king-fruits-health-blood-pressure-sleep-libido/ 

From Wikipedia: Durian is the edible fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio. There are 30 recognised Durio species, at least nine of which produce edible fruit. Durio zibethinus, native to Borneo and Sumatra, is the only species available in the international market. It has over 300 named varieties in Thailand and 100 in Malaysia, as of 1987. Other species are sold in their local regions. Durians are commonly associated with Southeast Asian cuisine, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Named in some regions as the "king of fruits", the durian is distinctive for its large size, strong odour, and thorn-covered rind. The fruit can grow as large as 30 centimetres (12 inches) long and 15 cm (6 in) in diameter, and it typically weighs 1 to 3 kilograms (2 to 7 pounds). Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species.

An acquired taste, some people regard the durian as having a pleasantly sweet fragrance, whereas others find the aroma overpowering and unpleasant. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as rotten onions, turpentine, and raw sewage. The persistence of its odour, which may linger for several days, led certain hotels and public transportation services in Southeast Asia to ban the fruit. The nineteenth-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described its flesh as "a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds". The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet desserts in Southeast Asian cuisines. The seeds can also be eaten when cooked.