Scientists have managed to strip durian, a Southeast Asian delicacy known as the king of fruit, of its signature funky aroma. This is great news for people suffering from depression or anxiety disorders, as Durian contains high levels of tryptophan, which raises serotonin levels in the brain. An increase in serotonin levels have been shown to enhance mood, even resulting in feelings of euphoria. Researchers have also found tryptophan to be helpful to people suffering from insomnia, anxiety and/or depression.

Benefits of Durian include:
• Mood elevation
• Increased libido (aphrodisiac)
• Enhanced sense of optimism
• A calming, stress-relieving effect
• Increased energy and metabolism, and
• Support for overall health

Known as the “king of fruits”, Durian has long been revered in Asia. It’s nutritional profile is so complete that in Malaysia, one tribe lives on nothing but Durian for weeks at a time. Despite it’s nutritional pedigree, until now Durian has been shunned by many because of it’s noxious odor.

Indeed, no product of nature has endured as much “fruit slander” as this much-maligned Asian. The victim of much pithy prose, the smell of Durian has been described as similar to:

• garlic steeped in jet fuel
• turpentine and onions, garnished with a unwashed gym socks
• French custard passed through a sewer pipe
• rotten onions with limburger cheese and low-tide seaweed
• a city dump on a hot summer day, and
• carrion in custard

These are in addition to the more benign smell descriptions of skunk spray, used surgical swabs, skunk spray, rotting fish, and kind of a “stinky splendor”. So noxious is the fruit’s aroma that it’s banned from Singapore’s subways, not to mention many public places in Asia.

Thankfully, individuals who desire the serotonin-raising benefits of the Tryptophan-rich fruit can now drink Durian juice without the odor. Die-hard Durian lovers have long appreciated the incredible flavor of this fruit, which has been described as “as a combination of sensuous banana pudding, with a touch of butterscotch, vanilla, peach, pineapple, strawberry and almond.” For the rest of us, whose noses won’t let us close enough to try this delicious fruit, there is now an odorless, health-enhancing Durian beverage.

Cari Haus has authored or co-authored more than ten books on a variety of subject, in addition to numerous articles.

You can visit her informational website about Durian at DurianBoost.com