“Eating durian helps with bad breath and tooth decay, research claims”

 I had to do a double take on the calendar just to be sure it is not an April Fool's joke.

According to researchers at Thailand's University of Chulalongkorn, eating durian helps with curbing bad breath and preventing tooth decay.

The members of the university's Faculty of Dentistry had tested out a gel which was extracted from the rind of the pungent fruit. The rind was then test out on lab rats to study its ability to hinder the spread of bacteria.

What they discovered blew them away. Turns out, the gel from the durian behaves exactly like chlorhexidine, a common disinfectant you'll find in mouth rinses.

It's amazing because durian is notorious for its stench - which many love and loath - is capable of removing bad breath.

The study found that there was a reduction in compounds responsible for bad breaths when the fruit is ingested.

The King of Fruits, in fact, eliminates compounds such as dimethyl sulphide, methyl mercaptan, and hydrogen sulfide.

Expect to see Thailand-made durian flavored oral hygiene product some time in the very near future, folks!

Be right back, gonna go take a swig from that durian whiskey.”

https://sea.mashable.com/science/5229/eating-durian-helps-with-bad-breath-and-tooth-decay-research-claims


Note :  I came across the above article and wonder is it a myth or fact ??

The research ‘eating durian helps with bad breath and tooth decay’ has certainly raised my eyebrows!! 
Guess there are still plenty of durian benefits has yet to discover!!  

A thorny fruit being name ‘King of the fruit’ in S.E Asia is both revered and reviled around the world.

Often reviled for its pungent odour, overpowering and lingering smell, people describe it foul-smelling fruit, rotting eggs, smelly shocks etc.   Make sure do not put your face near the thorny fruit it can be very prickly !! 

But it also can be describe as “rich custard highly flavoured with almonds”, butterscotch pudding, ice cream etc .  This bad breath fruit itself doesn't taste bad. In fact, it's rather pleasant tasting, once you get past the smell. like eating banana pudding while sitting in an outhouse.

Some people find the durian taste and smell is offensive.  Durians are the most famous of Malaysian fruits due to their powerful aroma, distinctive taste and custard texture.

Food writer Richard Sterling has written  “its odour is best described as…turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock. It can be smelled from yards away.” The fruit is not to everybody's taste. You may love it or hate it !!

This stinky king of fruits is banned from hotel rooms and public transport - such is its overpowering and lingering perfume.

Quite often the pungent odour has caused prompted evacuations from airports, office buildings, schools and hospitals. A few cases in Australia, a stinky durian was left in a drawer and created a security scare as thought to be a gas leaked, the whole building had to be evacuated for security reason.

Almost all Southeast Asian countries produce durian. But it is also recognized that the best durian come from Malaysia when compared to Thailand and Indonesia. Malaysia durian has best tasting and the best flavour.

There are a variety of hybrid durian in Malaysia such as Musang King,  Chi (black stone), Hor Lor (Labu), Kun Poh, D101, D14, D24, Capri, D88, Little Rd, XO, Red Prawn and jungle durian, what some would call ‘durian kampung’, that come from matured trees and are all natural, not hybrids.

The jungle durian ‘durian kampung’ tend to have bigger seed, less flesh and not as creamy as Musang King, each tree produces a different flavour and texture of durian  and price is cheaper. The flesh can be in pale yellow colour, texture soft and watery.

Different variety of durian has it unique fragrance, flavour, taste and texture, some can taste bitter, sweet and with a strong wine flavour or how some can produce a numb sensation when eaten, the texture can describe like custard, creamy or soft and watery.

Here are some  popular durian guide on the flavours:

      

1) Musang King

The most sought after variety is the Musang King, with a creamy texture, smaller seeds (therefore more flesh) and a slightly bitter, fermented aftertaste   Musang King is known for its bright yellow flesh and is like a more potent or enhanced version of the D24.  Udang Merah (Red Prawn).

2) Ang Heh (Red Prawn)

The flesh is reddish and soft and it is sweet with a slight bitter taste. It has small seeds and very thick and creamy flesh. This hybrid has been an old favourite since it was declared a champion breed back in 1989.

3) Hor Lor (Labu / Gourd)

The fruit shape like a gourd. The flesh is creamy, very sticky and sweet but it sometimes might have a bitter taste, depending on how hard it landed when it dropped from the tree. This was another durian champion back in 1988.

4) Kun Poh Ang Bak

This durian is named after the late Lau Khun Poh, who first bud-crafted it, while the ‘ang bak’ refers to the reddish golden colour of the flesh. This durian has a very heavy and strong aroma and its flesh is creamy with a bittersweet taste. It was a durian champion in 1991.

5) Green Skin

This durian has a bright green skin unlike the other types. It is another bittersweet durian with a thick and creamy texture.

6) D604

This durian was first cultivated by the late Teh Hew Hong of Sungai Pinang in Balik Pulau and unlike the others that have reddish orange flesh, this one has a pale yellow flesh. It is sweet and the texture is sticky.

7) Little Red

Like its name suggests, the flesh of this durian is red and the durian is usually small. The flesh is creamy but not sticky and it is not as sweet but is a balance of slightly sweet and slightly bitter.

Some precautions to take note before taking durian :

1.  People with cholesterol, diabetic  and medical problem, durian might increase your blood sugar level, and elevate your cholesterol reading,  the sugar contents is quite hight in durian.

2. After taking durian, you will have a smelly burping of rotten durian, kind of offensive and embarrassing !!   Especially if you are in an enclosed room  with important people around you …It takes at least one day to get rid of the burping smell or you can drink lemon water to cut down the smell.

3. If you are using your bare hand to pick up the flesh, the strong odour will lingering on the hand even after wash with soupy water.  Best pick up the flesh with disposable glove.

4. Advice after taking durian do not immediately take any alcohol , because there is a natural chemical reaction when this two items mixed in your stomach , it can create gas and bloated your stomach can caused discomfort .  (someone dies by doing so !!),

According to a 2009 Japanese study, durian extract strongly inhibits the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), used by the liver to break down alcohol. This might account for a piece of traditional Asian folklore: that getting intoxicated while eating durian can lead to death.

Read more: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-does-the-durian-fruit-smell-so-terrible-149205532/#SqOH0QxGem867KRZ.99
 

5. Make sure you drink plenty of water after taking durian, durian is a high energy food can caused fever or sore throat on certain people if you eat too much.



Above are indication of some foods cannot been eaten together with Durian  might caused discomfort and health problem eg.  soft drink, red meats, milk, eggplants, mangosteen, lychee, crabs and alcohol.


In Malaysia durian season runs between June and July, August and later again in December.

Malaysia is promoting durian festival by hosting ‘Eat all you can durian party’, ‘Visiting durian farm, even some new durian dishes from restaurant.

 The ‘Durian Fever’ have tourist flocking to Malaysia to taste ‘Musang King’, ‘Black Torn’, etc. The reviled of its pungent odour has become a delicacy in China – and export demand is rocketing

The growing Chinese demand has push durian prices up. In 2012, Malaysian farmers were selling one kilogram of durian to wholesalers for RM9 . Now, the price has gone up to RM30-60.

Malaysia is expected to export as many as a million kilogrammes of frozen whole durian or frozen durian paste.  The mystical thorny and pungent smelly fruit has certainly created a lot curious new customers. Once people has tasted a good durian eg. Musang King,  they will tend to gradually accept this pungent odour fruit !!

Musang King fruits hung from the trees like pungent grenades, a green string had been individually hand-tied from the branches to each fruit.  Durian will drop from the tree naturally when ripe. There is a saying do not walk under a durian tree without covered your head, a thorny durian might hit you head accidentally.

Durians are best eaten fresh, preferably within the first few hours of it falling from the tree, for one to be able to enjoy the full robust flavours of the fruit.

The recent surged in durian fever from tourist has created durian innovation selling in shop and restaurant like durian cakes, durian ice-cream , durian chocolates, durian pastry and durian wine . durian pizza etc.

Malaysia popular durian farms mainly located in East Malaysia due to its unique soil and hilly environment :   Balik Pulau in Penang , Raub in Pahang, Malacca,  Negeri Sembilan etc. However, Balik Pulau and Raub are the two most popular area to taste different hybrid of durian.

Before visiting a farm best check when is the durian season, as different variety of durian ripen in different month, some farm might have limited bred of durian trees.

Penang Durian season and location : Durian in the middle May to August,  

1)  Bao Sheng Durian Farm -  “Bao Sheng Durian Farm is a third-generation farm that practices organic farming …. At our farm you’ll experience the granite hillsides and cool ocean breeze that give our old tree durians their unique range of flavors, different than other places in Malaysia. Visit us during the durian season (May to August) to taste our durians. Book a night at our durian farm or a durian-tasting on this site.”

www.durian.com.my

2) Titi Kerawang, Balik Pulau -  https://m.facebook.com/titikerawangstall/

3)  Friendly Home Farm -  “The Oldest Durian Tree in Penang, planted the tree in the early 1900’s…Mr. Lai grew up in this house. He’s the third generation to live here. His grandfather was the one who bought the land, and planted the old tree, over 100 years ago.

Now the farm has 16 acres of durian, rambutan, cempedak, pineapple, and rubber, with over 100 durian trees.”

www.yearofthedurian.com

 

4) Stone House Durian Farm - Durian farm Also produce nutmeg Juice, durian cake during durian season etc.

https://rumahbatu.webs.com

Pahang Durian season and location  : Early season Musang King in mid May in Sungai Klau and Sungai Ruan.

1) YES! Durian Orchard Farmstay - YES Orchard is located at Sungai Klau, Raub, Malaysia, a new attraction that brings you close to nature and tastes the more than 25-year-old Musang King Durian, which is ideal for families, groups and other outdoor activities. The best place for a day trip!

www.yearofthedurian.com

2) Lucky Durian Farm -  “Come and taste freshly drop 1 malaysia musang king durian with many other tropical fruits like mangosteen, Rambutan, Pulasan & etc  

‘All You Can Eat Durian Buffet & Farm Tour’  besides durian other tropical fruits trees in the farm are rambutan, pulasan, mangosteen, jackfruits, cempedak, mango, coconut, sour sop, mulberry, golden fruit and ciku. ‘ 

http://1malaysiamusangkingdurian.blogspot.com

3) Fook Gor Durian Farm - ‘Organic durian farm provide tour of durian farm and package tour to surrounding tourist spots.”

http://fookgordurianfarm.blogspot.com

4) Raub Durian Ochard -  “The farm is located about 15 minutes drive from Raub Town.  10 Acre in area and there are more than 400 durian trees of various hybrids.

Farm stay is available and in house café serves some unique durian dishes.  Among the other fruit trees are Mangosteen, Rambutan, " Bulasan", Banana, Dukung and Coconut.”

http://raubdurianorchard.blogspot.com/

 

5) Dusun Uncle Thing Musang King Durian Leisure Farm –


 

 If you have limited time to travel out to the farm you may op to go

to the durian stalls  in town. With durian season in full swing, you can see many durian stalls mushrooming not only along kampong roads, but also the main roads:

1)      SS2 Durian Stalls SS2/61 in Petaling Jaya ,

2)      Sinnco Durian, 60, Seksyen 19/3 in Petaling Jaya,

3)      Donald Durian 15, Jalan 19/29, Seksyen 19, 46300 Petaling Jaya,

4)      Durain King TTDI,  179 Jalan Wan Kadir, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, 

5)      Brothers Durian,  Jalan Mergastua (Durian Street), 52100, Kepong Baru,

6)      SK Durian Stall, 11A, Jalan Bengkudu Kepong Baru, 52100, Kepong

7)     Kepong durian stalls 11A, Jalan Bengkudu Kepong Baru, 52100, Kepong,

8)      Soon Durian Jalan Cempaka 3, Taman Cempaka, 68000 Ampang,

9)      Durain BB No. 15, Jalan Kamuning, Off Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur,

10)   WP Kuala , MK Durian Amaya Maluri Residence, G10 Shoplot, Maluri, 55100, KL, 

11)   City Durian C1-C5, Backspace@Alor, No.15A (R-1-18) Jalan Tong Shin, Kuala Lumpur,

12)  Durianity, G21, IOI Boulevard, Jalan Kenari 6, Puchong, 47170 Puchong, Selangor

        13)  Subang Durian stalls , USJ14/1K Subang Jaya


Lastly wishing you all a Durian Bon Appetit  .....