Many of us have already got basic knowledge about durian. They are called the “King of Fruits” because they’re very smelly, have prickly thorns and are high in calories, making them undesirable for dieters. If you might be a real fan of the fruit, listed below are 10 fun facts about durian which might be price knowing if you should call yourself a connoisseur of the king of Southeast Asian fruits.
1. Durians are available in 30 different species, but only 11 of them are edible
There are about 500 several types of durians in Southeast Asia alone. There are about 100 kinds of durian in Malaysia, of which over 100 are in Indonesia. Thailand, because the world’s largest exporter of durian, boasts over 300 species of fruit.
Only about 30 species have been identified, of which only 11 are considered edible. Inedible varieties aren’t dangerous, but are generally wild varieties which have little or no flesh and huge seeds, making them unsuitable for eating.
- There are “thornless” durians which might be completely natural
Thornless durians are completely natural and, despite their rarity, occur as a natural variant consequently of a genetic mutation. As a result, the plants produce fruit with few or no thorns, and thornless durians resemble coconuts somewhat than durians.
They are smoother, rounder, browner and smaller than their thorny cousins. The flesh of a thornless durian is white to pale yellow in color and tastes sweet and creamy like conventional durians.
- Durian seeds are edible
Before consuming whole durian seeds, keep in mind that durian seeds must be cooked before eating. To make chips, the seeds might be boiled, roasted or deep-fried. Because raw seeds contain cyclopropene fatty acids, a cancer-causing chemical, they aren’t suitable for eating.
- The highest price paid for a durian was $47,990
The most costly durian varieties in Malaysia are Musang King and Black Thorn. The Kanyao durians from Thailand, nevertheless, are the most costly durians ever sold.
It is a novel species that was auctioned for 1.5 million baht ($47,784) on June 7, 2019, through the King Of Durian Festival (all Thailand) in Nonthaburi.
Farmers hand-picked the fruit the day before the auction and the fruit was chosen for auction based on its shape, ripeness and size. Girls durians are considered the most costly in Thailand. They are sweet and creamy, and their tall stems make them easy to identify.
- The hottest wild species is Durian Merah, i.e. durian with red flesh
Red flesh durian, also often called red durian, is a rare edible durian, found mainly in eastern Malaysia. Durians with orange flesh are sometimes called yellow durians. This species, scientifically often called Durio Graveolens, is smaller and fewer pungent than conventional durians.
Due to their visually appealing appearance and vibrant color of the flesh, they’re a must for durian fans. Red-flesh durians, however, are tougher to acquire as they are often sold commercially in East Malaysia.
- The scientific name of durian comes from the Malay language from the sixteenth century
Everyone calls it durian. On the opposite hand, only true fans are aware of the history behind their well-known names. Durio zibethinus is the scientific name of the most well-liked species we eat today, with “durio” coming from the Malay word durian.
Because the king of fruits is native to Malaysia and located nowhere else on the planet, historians imagine that the word durian, duri meaning thorn and – and the suffix forming the noun, was in use within the Malay archipelago as early as 1580.
- Durian trees can live for over 100 years
Durian trees can reach 50 meters in height and survive for 150 years or more, although their fruit yield decreases with age. However, take into accout that the standard of the fruit improves with age, which could also be why people advertise the age of the tree when selling durian.
In other words, the more helpful the fruit, the older the tree. According to legend, the oldest durian tree on the planet is 300 years old and comes from Thailand!
- Durians are relatives of okra, hibiscus and cocoa
Durians belong to the Malvaceae family, which also includes okra, hibiscus, cocoa and cotton, amongst other popular industrial plants. Scientists once classified durians within the Bombacaceae plant family.
However, DNA research undertaken at the top of the twentieth century showed that durian and hollyhock are very closely related. They were then reclassified as Malvaceae, a bigger single family of plants.
- King Musang has a companion named Queen Musang
Every king, even King Musang, has a queen. Queen Musang, the king’s partner in crime, is more commonly often called Tekka or D160, a well-liked kind of durian native to Selangor. Queen Musang was the primary durian variety recognized in June 1987, a 12 months before King Musang.
Tekka is well-known amongst durian lovers because its brown-yellow flesh has a bitter taste and a smoothness that some people like. However, as a consequence of its overwhelming taste, it shouldn’t be really useful for beginners.
- The common belief that it is best to not drink alcohol after eating durian is somewhat true
People are sometimes advised to not drink alcohol after eating durian because it could actually cause death. A study conducted in 2009 by a bunch of scientists from the University of Tsukuba in Japan showed that there could also be a grain of truth on this notorious belief.
Scientists have found that aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), the enzyme answerable for the metabolism of alcohol in our body, is inhibited when an individual consumes durian. This implies that drinking alcohol soon after eating durian may lead to increased poisoning or death since the alcohol shouldn’t be metabolized quickly by the body.
Source: TheSmartLocal.com
