Frozen Durian, Are they any good?

[fruitlovers]

If you ever make it to Thailand or other parts of Asia you will see that they have all kinds of what you call "anecdotal" evidence that is beyond ridiculous. But you are free to believe whatever you like. But you should realize that belief does NOT equal knowledge. Realizing this has nothing to do with arrogance. Nor does it mean that everything believed by Asians is not true. I never implied that, that's coming from your own imagination.

It's anecdotal evidence coming from SE Asian health professionals, not the lay public.  Hospitals in the Philippines, a doctor in Malaysia and this one, 
from your favorite source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/08/world/asia/08durian.html    For myself, I don't care if it's true or not  since I'm in good health with normal blood pressure. Others with blood pressure concerns might choose to err on the side of caution.

"Rarely does durian season pass without newspapers somewhere in Southeast Asia reporting a durian death. The fruit, which is rich in carbohydrates, protein, fat and sulfurous compounds (thus the smell), is said here to be “heaty,” and can therefore be deadly for those with high blood pressure, according to Wilailak Srisura, a nutritionist at the Thai Department of Health."

I guess you don't realize that practically everyone in S.E. Asia eats durian? So would it be hard to come up with someone that happened to die after eating durian?    It's kind of like coming up in USA with someone who happened to die after eating a McDonald's cheeseburger. Real question is whether any cause and effect can be established between eating those foods and death, or even high blood pressure? With anecdotes you don't need to set up any connection because you can believe whatever you want.    Next time you're suffering from low blood pressure and happen to find yourself in a Phillippine hospital make sure to ask to be served a durian. 

[bangkok]

In Thailand they believe durian and alcohol don't mix and is a dangerous combination. Of course that ain't true because our hawaiian wants to sell durians.

Also longans make you feel warm and can cause blisters in the mouth, but our super expert who has been in Thailand 2 weeks won't agree.

Pulasan pits are eaten and asians think it's fine to do so.

Funny that he is so keen to write on the 10th frozen durian thread.

Keep in mind that Asians are not Westerners. Some even go hyper from a cup of real coffee or are allergic to milk. Also the climate is different, in Thailand it can be around 40 celcius on many places in summer that might cause sideeffects as well when eating something.

I don't know who i should believe about eating durian but i would never say that asians are full of myths which are not true. Always good for a laugh those "american experts".

[durianwriter]

Anybody in Southeast Asia want to join me for a little experiment?

Here's the plan:
- A temperature controlled Gymnasium.

Two groups of durian lovers: one who will consume durian, one who will consume durian+alcohol.

We'll take your temperature and blood pressure before consuming, directly after consuming, and one hour later.

Board games will be provided

[Ansarac]

I am a sturdy man, fit for hard labor. I take dogs on long walks, to forage in the countryside. For me, it's restorative.

I consider fully-ripe durian to be a rich food. If you were to approach this, as from the standpoint of the philosophical elements, it is considered to be warming. Common sense should be enough to tell you how this would interact with alcohol (think, flushed face) and high blood pressure.

I find that the frozen durian boxes and entire fruit, both give me a comparable amount of fruit pulp for my money -- so long as the whole fruit is well developed. Smallish, lop sided fruit, imho, contain translucent, vegetably pieces, which are not good to eat, somewhat like animal cartilage. I would study the clear boxes for those pieces, also, and avoid them.

A Malaysian lady was kindly trying to explain this to me, but I couldn't understand, due to the language barrier. (Also, the Chinese owners got extremely frustrated with her handling all the fruit, which they thought was all, equally "good.") I had to figure this out for myself, under minimal supervision.

I would also like to add that the frozen fruit may not be entirely ripe. I personally felt that it was richer, once it had been thawed for a day or more. I like it at the stage, when apple-cider like juice drips from the shell, a little, although some people may consider this slightly overripe or spoiled, if they  prefer a firmer texture.

[stuartdaly88]

Thought it may be relevant that a gene prevalent in those of Asian descent causes carriers of that gene to metabolize alcohol less effectively than non-carriers. It is informally known as Asian glow. Maybe alcohol + durian + being a carrier of this gene + high blood pressure or other underlying health problems can be dangerous?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction

[Ansarac]

My face is pinkish and thick. I run hot, and the temperature reaches 100F and higher, here. I am skeptical as to whether this would literally kill someone, drinking moderately and in good health, but there's a pretty good chance that this would ruin my evening.

I think it's interesting to speculate. I would bet there are dozens of possible, aggravating factors, but what more do you really need to know, besides rich food and alcohol.

I like durianwriter's practicality. If anyone disagrees, let him try it -- especially, in front of an audience or in controlled conditions.