One of my favorite things about Saturday is the local farmer’s market. An all Organic Raw Vegan market is coincidentally down the street from me and it is one of my favorite rituals sacredly held for Saturdays.
I have always heard Ani Phyo rave about Durian and the spiky fruit had me curious. The local farmer’s market is a treasure trove for raw foodies and regularly carries the tropical fruit (one of the benefits of living in Southern Florida). So we picked up a few goodies, including the unique fruit.
Durian is known for its unique taste and pungent odor. What a fun thing to try such a bizarre food! Well, I am now a proud victim consumer of this pungent fruit.
Creamy Durian Shake
1 cup durian
2 bananas
1-2 cups nut mylk
1 shake of cinnamon
2 tablespoons agave
Toss everything into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Add cinnamon or mylk as needed.
It seems to be best flavored with creamier fruits and spices, such as vanilla, banana, cinnamon, etc. The smell is incredibly strong, and almost a savory smell. The shake reminded me of a weird eggnog. It’s not horrific though I don’t think we will ever try it again. It was fun and incredibly filling but I think I’ll stick to regular banana shakes from now on!
As for me, I think I’ll gladly enjoy some fresh coconut water at the market, instead.
Here’s why some people are falling for durian:
- Durian fruit, like Banana, avocado and jack fruit, is rich in energy, minerals and vitamins.
- The fruit is made of soft, easily digestible flesh with simple sugars like fructose and sucrose and some amount of simple fats that when eaten replenishes energy and revitalizes the body instantly; can be used as supplement food in the treatment plan for underweight children. Although it contains a relatively high amount of fats among fruits, but it is free from cholesterol.
- Durian is rich in dietary fiber, which makes it a good bulk laxative. The fiber content helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer causing chemicals in the colon.
- Durian fruit is a good source of antioxidant vitamin-C (about 33% of RDA). Consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.
- The fruit is an excellent source of many health benefiting B-complex groups of vitamins; a rare feature among fruits, such as niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish.
- It also contain good amount of minerals like manganese, copper, iron and magnesium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Copper is required in the production of red blood cells. Iron is required for red blood cell formation.
- Fresh durian fruit is a very rich source of potassium. Potassium in an important electrolyte of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
- It also contains high levels of essential amino acid, tryptophan (also known as “nature’s sleeping pill”) which in the body metabolizes into serotonin and melatonin; these neuro-chemicals have an important functions like sleep induction and in the treatment of epilepsy.
