Durian
Food · Fruit · Food, Typed Supps
Durian is a big, spiky, super creamy tropical fruit loaded with energy, potassium, and vitamin C — but it really doesn't mix well with alcohol.
Stage by stage
- Eaten (Mouth): Chewing releases durian's custardy pulp along with its signature sulfur-compound aroma and a burst of natural sugars.
- Digested (Stomach): In the stomach, durian's fat and fiber slow digestion, easing the fruit's carbohydrates and nutrients into the small intestine gradually.
- Absorbed (Small intestine): The small intestine absorbs durian's sugars, potassium, vitamin C, thiamin, and vitamin B6 into the bloodstream.
- Processed (Liver): The liver processes durian's sulfur compounds, where they can inhibit the enzyme that clears alcohol's toxic byproduct, acetaldehyde.
Timing
Durian doesn't need to be paired with other food, but it should be kept well separated from alcohol — avoid drinking for several hours around eating durian because of its ALDH-inhibiting sulfur compounds.
Time to effect
- Minutes to Hours: Durian's natural sugars begin providing usable energy within about 30-60 minutes of eating, while its alcohol-interacting sulfur compounds can affect acetaldehyde clearance for several hours afterward.
Allergens
None of the fourteen major allergens. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.
Eating patterns
Fits: Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher, Gluten-free. Depends on the product: Low-FODMAP.
Satiety
136 on the satiety index, where white bread is 100 — moderate. Modelled from the Holt et al. (1995) measurements.
Environmental footprint
1.1 kg CO2e and 199 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Other fruit" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.
Cost band
Cheap — roughly £3 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.
Key nutrients
Nutrition per 100g
- Calories: 147
- Protein: 1.5g
- Carbohydrate: 27.1g
- of which sugars: 6.8g
- Fat: 5.3g
- of which saturated: 1.7g
- Fibre: 3.8g
- Sodium: 2mg
Food vs. supplement
Durian's potassium, vitamin C, and B vitamins come bundled with fiber and natural sugars that no isolated supplement replicates, though its higher calorie and fat content (147 kcal and 5.3 g fat per 100 g) mean it's better treated as an occasional treat than a daily staple.
Kitchen tip
Chill or freeze durian pulp before eating — it tames the smell, firms the texture, and doesn't meaningfully reduce its vitamin C content.
Common myth
"Eating durian with alcohol will kill you." In reality: Durian's sulfur compounds do inhibit aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), the enzyme that clears alcohol's toxic byproduct acetaldehyde, causing real flushing, rapid heartbeat, and nausea — but no confirmed human deaths have been linked to the pairing, and a mouse study testing the combination found no fatalities.
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