Durian is a unique tropical fruit. It has a spiky outer shell, and contains buttery flesh that coats the seeds. This  butter-like flesh is intensely sweet in taste and slightly yellow in color.  Both the creamy flesh and seeds are edible but the seeds cannot be eaten raw. Sri Lankans only eat Durian flesh directly but people in other countries consume food preparations of Durian fruit, such as juice, boiled or roasted seeds, Durian soup, candy or ice cream. 

Durian contains 44 active aromatic compounds that give it a strong smell. Some people love Durian while some hate it due to its smell.  

Durian is highly nutritious, it’s nutrition profile makes it one of the most nutritious fruits worldwide. They are rich in fiber, B vitamins, vitamin C, and various healthy plant compounds like anthocyanins, carotenoids, polyphenols, and flavonoids.

Durian has a lower glycemic index (GI) than many other tropical fruits but they are also high in calories and carbohydrates and contain simple sugars like sucrose, fructose and glucose. It is better to be consumed with moderation. The fibre content in durian aids digestion and makes stools easier to pass. 

Durian contains sulphur-like  compounds that may prevent alcohol from being fully metabolized, causing increased alcohol levels in your blood which leads to  symptoms like nausea and vomiting. It is better not to consume durian and alcohol at the same time. 

Durian is also used in traditional medicine. In traditional medicine Durian is considered as a “heaty food”. That means Durian has a warming property. If you consume too much Durian you may feel uncomfortable, having mouth ulcers, constipation, sore throat, etc. To counter the heaty property of the fruit, consume coconut water, mint tea or green tea. 

 Durian is claimed to increase fertility and sexual performance in men. One of the remedies to increase sperm production is described below.

A seed is cut into 3 - 4 pieces and put into a glass of water, kept overnight, and eats the pieces and  drinks the water in the morning to increase sperm production. 

To get the most benefits out of durians, for an average person, nutritionists recommend eating about two to three Durian seeds per day is okay.