I had my first taste of the durian fruit this year in a smoothie. I had heard many good things about this exotic fruit that it was just a matter of time for me to try it. I made a simple smoothie consisting of the frozen durian and brazil nut milk. Perhaps I put too much of the durian, but the smell had overcome me and I was forced to breathe only through my mouth while I drank this smoothie. The first thought that came to mind was “the things I do for my health!”. This stuff smelled so strong of a garlicky, oniony, cream cheesey-type of odor. I now understand why some places in Thailand outlaw carrying this fruit in certain train stations and hotel areas. Some can describe the smell as “dirty sweat socks”. Despite the initial exposure to the smell, the taste wasn’t as bad. My friend and owner of Exotic Superfoods in Fresh Meadows, NY, Fabian, told me that some people take an immediate liking to the taste of durian and others start to get used to it by their third exposure. It took me until my second smoothie for me to really enjoy the benefits of this super food.

Durian is a fruit from South East Asia. It can literally be translated as “thorny fruit”. The whole fruit can weigh about 1-3 kg and has a thorny outer shell. It sort of looks like a spiked rugby ball. Hard core durian fans feel that the stronger the odor, the better the durian. Unfortunately modern science is managing to mess with nature again and some areas are planting seeds of “odorless” durian to appeal to a wider market. Blasphemy! This hybridization is exactly what is screwing up our planet. The untouched durian is a favorite of some of the larger members of the animal kingdom like elephants, orangutans, and tigers. This fruit is really an intelligent piece of beauty. It’s spikey appearance deters smaller animals and the larger ones tend to swallow the seed and poop it out in far away areas so that it can grow in other areas. You can get a sense of the survival instincts of this fruit. Durian is loaded with nutrition. For a fruit it has high amounts of fat, protein, and sugars. The odor is mostly from high amounts of sulfur (which is great for the liver and musculoskeletal system). It contains a large amount of the amino acid tryptophan which is a precursor to the “feel good” molecule serotonin. I can attest to this fact because after the second time I tried durian, I noticed a significant uplift in my energy and well-being to such a point that others around me noticed it as well. And it wasn’t like a false energy boost you would get with caffeine or refined sugars. If I ever was to feel depressed, I know a smoothie with durian would be just the right remedy. From an energetic perspective, I could feel my luminous energy field, or aura, expand after consuming this fruit the same way it grows after meditating. There is something in the durian that allows the physical body to unload heavy, dense energies that tend to make one feel “weighed down”.

My recommendation for a beginner durian smoothie: durian, fresh coconut water and meat from a young coconut, a couple of teaspoons of raw cacao, a teaspoon of raw mesquite powder, and frozen organic mango chunks. This will guarantee you a great day.
I get my durian from Exotic Superfoods but you can probably find it at most Asian supermarkets. Try it. Durian does a body good!