LIVE WELL: ENJOY DURIAN, BUT EAT MODERATELY

Durian, like other tropical fruits such as banana, avocado and jackfruit, is rich in energy, minerals and vitamins. 100 g of fresh durian provides
147 calories. The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh made of simple sugars like fructose and sucrose that when eaten will replenish
 energy and revitalize the body instantly. Though it contains a relatively high amount of fats among fruits, it is free from saturated fats and
 cholesterol. Durian is rich in dietary fibre, which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fibre content helps to protect the colon mucous membrane
 by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon. Below is a comprehensive list of the health
 benefits of durian.
   
 
10 Health Benefits of Durian
 
#1 Promotes healthy skin (Vitamin C)
Vitamin C is an in important factor in making collagen, an important protein found in the skin, bones, tendons, ligaments,
and blood vessels. It plays a vital role in wound-healing, and every cup of durian contains 80% of the daily value (DV) of vitamin C.
 
#2 Aids in digestion (Thiamin)
Durian is brimming with thiamin, a B vitamin which promotes a normal appetite and helps produce hydrochloric acid in the
 stomach for proper digestion of food.
 
#3 Regulates blood sugar levels (Manganese)
It can aid in regulating blood sugar levels through the help of its rich manganese content.
 
#4 Helps fight depression (Vitamin B6)
It is packed with vitamin B6. Lack of vitamin B6 in the body may lead to depression.
 
#5 Avoids and relieves constipation (Fibre)
The king of fruits is rich in fibre, a complex carbohydrate which absorbs water and expands in the digestive tract to gently
 and effectively speed up the process of moving bulk through the system.
 
#6 Helps maintain healthy bones (Potassium)
It is also rich in potassium. When people talk about bone health, most would only focus on calcium. But potassium is also
a key nutrient for healthy bones. It conserves calcium by preventing too much from being excreted in the urine.
 
#7 Helps relieve migraine (Riboflavin)
Are you suffering from migraine? Munching on durian might help ease the pain. Riboflavin is another B vitamin found in durian
which helps and is used to treat migraine headaches.
 
#8 Helps maintain a healthy thyroid (Copper)
When it comes to thyroid health, iodine is probably the only nutrient that most people associate it with. The trace mineral copper
 also plays a role in thyroid metabolism, especially in hormone-production-&-absorption.
 
#9 Promotes healthy pregnancy (Folate)
Durian is also loaded with folate, one of the must-have nutrients for pregnant and planning-to-get-pregnant women. Folate is
 essential for normal tissue-growth and protect against brain and spine problems for the developing baby.
 
#10 Relaxes nerves and muscles (Magnesium)
Durian has magnesium that prevents muscle-cramps and which acts as a chemical gate-blocker in nerve cells. Over active nerve
 cells can result in over contraction of muscles.
 
 
 
 
IS DURIAN FATTENING?
YES. As decadent as its creamy flesh tastes, durians do possess many health benefits. But here’s why you shouldn’t go wild over it:
It’s a fruit with one of the highest fat-content. Apart from avocado, durian is the other fruit that contains a significant amount of fat.
Plus, durian can pack up to 3 times more calories compared to most other fruits.
 
IS DURIAN HEATY?
YES. You don’t need a nutritionist to tell you that drinking water from a durian shell does nothing for you. However, eating durians can
indeed induce a feeling of “heatiness”. Reason: Our metabolism increases during digestion of the fruit, thus there may be occasional
instances of a slight increase in body temperature. This is partly because durian is so dense in calories, demanding greater digestive efforts.
 
IS DURIAN HIGH IN CHOLESTEROL?
NO. Durian has no cholesterol as this only comes from animal fat/products such as meat, eggs, dairy products and butter.