NutriDex

The Supplement Research Compendium
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Durian

Durio zibethinus

Pungent tropical fruit, rich in fiber and potassium

Preliminary evidence 🍎Fruits

✚ Updated · How we grade evidence

Evidence tier
Preliminary
Research weight
Citations
10 verified / 10
Classification
Fruits
❝
What the evidence says. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive.

Nutrition per serving 1 medium (600 g)

600gSERVING
  • Water 390 g66%
  • Sugars 72 g12%
  • Fibre 22.8 g4%
  • Other carbs 67.8 g11%
  • Protein 8.8 g1%
  • Fat 32 g5%
What's in one serving, by weight — average composition (USDA).
Fiber81%Vitamin C100%+Thiamin (B1)100%+Potassium56%Copper100%+Manganese85%Folate54%Magnesium43%
One serving as % of the adult daily requirement (FDA Daily Values). The bold outer ring = 100% of a day's needs.
882 kcal8.8 g protein23 g fiber32 g fat
NutrientPer serving% daily value
Fiber23 g81%
Vitamin C118 mg131%
Thiamin (B1)2.2 mg183%
Potassium2616 mg56%
Copper1.2 mg138%
Manganese2 mg85%
Folate216 mcg54%
Magnesium180 mg43%
Vitamin B61.9 mg112%
Riboflavin (B2)1.2 mg92%
Niacin (B3)6.4 mg40%
Total fat32 g41%

Composition data: USDA FoodData Central ↗

What is Durian?

Durian (Durio zibethinus) is a fruit used for low glycemic index (~49) despite high sugar content, producing a smaller postprandial glucose rise than pineapple in a small human trial. NutriDex grades the human evidence as Preliminary. Direct human evidence for durian is thin and mostly indirect. The strongest clinical datum is a small Malaysian crossover trial (n=10) that classified durian as a low-glycemic-index food (GI approximately 49) despite its high sugar load, suggesting a gentler postprandial glucose response than pineapple. Most other claims (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, anticancer) rest on in-vitro assays of pulp, peel and seed extracts and on rodent feeding studies, not on whole-fruit human outcomes. Composition analyses confirm durian is genuinely nutrient-dense, supplying meaningful fiber, potassium, thiamin, vitamin C and carotenoids, but it is also unusually calorie- and fat-dense for a fruit (~147 kcal and ~5 g fat per 100 g). No randomized human trials show that habitual durian intake improves cardiovascular, metabolic or cancer endpoints. Overall the human evidence is best graded preliminary: durian is a nutritious whole fruit, but specific health benefits beyond its nutrient content remain unproven.

Purported Benefits

✓Low glycemic index (~49) despite high sugar content, producing a smaller postprandial glucose rise than pineapple in a small human trial
✓High dietary fiber supporting satiety and digestive health
✓Rich source of potassium, relevant to blood-pressure regulation
✓Notable antioxidant capacity from polyphenols and carotenoids (ABTS/DPPH/NO scavenging in vitro)
✓Anti-inflammatory activity of pulp/peel extracts (suppressed nitric-oxide production in macrophages in vitro)
✓Lipid-modulating signal in animal models (reduced total and LDL cholesterol in cholesterol-fed rats)

Dosing & Compounds

Typical Dose
Roughly 1-2 segments (~40-100 g pulp); a portion delivering 50 g carbohydrate is about 185 g pulp
Active Compounds
Polyphenols / flavonoids (caffeic acid, quercetin, catechins, gallic acid)Carotenoids (beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, zeaxanthin, lutein)Volatile sulfur compounds (diethyl disulfide, ethanethiol, thioacetates) giving the signature aromaDietary fiberPotassium and magnesium (electrolyte minerals)B-vitamins, especially thiamin (B1) plus folate, B6, riboflavinVitamin C (ascorbic acid)Unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and palmitic acid predominant)Triterpenoids (e.g., lupeol/lupenone-type) and organosulfur antioxidants

Safety & Cautions

Energy- and fat-dense for a fruit (~147 kcal and 5 g fat per 100 g), so large portions add up quickly; portion control matters for weight and, given its sugar load, for people with diabetes despite the low GI. Laboratory work shows durian extract inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase (the enzyme that clears acetaldehyde), giving biological plausibility to the traditional warning against combining durian with alcohol, which could raise acetaldehyde and worsen flushing/hangover-type effects; avoid heavy durian intake with drinking. High potassium content warrants caution in advanced kidney disease or with potassium-sparing/RAAS medications. These cautions are based largely on composition and in-vitro/animal data rather than controlled human trials. Educational only — always check with your doctor or pharmacist before combining Durian with any medicine.

Key Studies ★ 10 studies

Systematic review (in vitro studies) Suyatno 2025 ✓ PubMed
Systematic review: durian and sapodilla extracts enhanced paclitaxel/doxorubicin cytotoxicity and apoptosis in triple-negative breast cancer cells in vitro; no in-vivo or clinical confirmation.
Food composition analysis Charoenkiatkul 2016 ✓ Full text
Thai durian varieties contained 7.5-9.1 g/100g DM dietary fiber and high carbohydrate; the indigenous Kob-ta-kam variety reached ~2248 ug/100g DM carotenoids and ~1202 ug beta-carotene.
Crossover human trial Robert 2008 ✓ PubMed
Crossover trial in healthy adults: durian glycemic index 49+/-5 (low GI), significantly lower than pineapple (82) and not significantly different from watermelon (55) or papaya (58).
Narrative review Ansari 2016 ✓ Full text
Narrative review: durian shows anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-obesity and lipid-lowering signals relevant to metabolic syndrome/PCOS, but mechanisms in ovulation remain unvalidated.
Pharmacology review Xu 2018 ✓ Full text
Review of lupenone, a lupane triterpenoid found in the durian family, describing anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and antitumor activity in preclinical models.
In vitro antioxidant/anti-inflammatory Charoenphun 2022 ✓ Full text
Durian pulp, peel and seed flour extracts (Monthong, Chanee) showed measurable total phenolics and ABTS/NO/superoxide radical scavenging plus anti-inflammatory (anti-NO) activity in LPS-stimulated macrophages.
In vitro / rat metabolite study He 2022 ✓ Full text
Identified 17 phenolic compounds in durian shell extract and showed it reduced H2O2-induced ROS, MDA and apoptosis in HepG2 liver cells.
Plant biochemistry study Wisutiamonkul 2017 ✓ Full text
Durian pulp pigmentation arises from ethylene-regulated accumulation of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene with minor zeaxanthin and lutein during ripening.
In vitro enzyme assay Maninang 2009 ✓ Full text
Durian fruit extract inhibited yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase dose-dependently (up to ~70% inhibition), with sulfur-rich fractions most active, supporting the durian-alcohol caution mechanism via sulfur compounds.
Animal feeding study Leontowicz 2007 ✓ Full text
In cholesterol-fed rats, durian-supplemented diets reduced plasma LDL-C (Mon Thong ~20%, Chani up to ~31%) and preserved antioxidant status; Mon Thong was judged the preferable cultivar.
10 sources cited · 10 verified Search all studies on PubMed ↗

Common questions about Durian

What is Durian used for?

Durian is most often taken for Low glycemic index (~49) despite high sugar content, producing a smaller postprandial glucose rise than pineapple in a small human trial, High dietary fiber supporting satiety and digestive health, Rich source of potassium, relevant to blood-pressure regulation, Notable antioxidant capacity from polyphenols and carotenoids (ABTS/DPPH/NO scavenging in vitro). Pungent tropical fruit, rich in fiber and potassium

Does Durian work — what does the evidence say?

Preliminary evidence. Early or small human trials; promising but not yet conclusive. Direct human evidence for durian is thin and mostly indirect. The strongest clinical datum is a small Malaysian crossover trial (n=10) that classified durian as a low-glycemic-index food (GI approximately 49) despite its high sugar load, suggesting a gentler postprandial glucose response than pineapple. Most other claims (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, lipid-lowering, anticancer) rest on in-vitro assays of pulp, peel and seed extracts and on rodent feeding studies, not on whole-fruit human outcomes. Composition analyses confirm durian is genuinely nutrient-dense, supplying meaningful fiber, potassium, thiamin, vitamin C and carotenoids, but it is also unusually calorie- and fat-dense for a fruit (~147 kcal and ~5 g fat per 100 g). No randomized human trials show that habitual durian intake improves cardiovascular, metabolic or cancer endpoints. Overall the human evidence is best graded preliminary: durian is a nutritious whole fruit, but specific health benefits beyond its nutrient content remain unproven.

What is the typical dose of Durian?

Roughly 1-2 segments (~40-100 g pulp); a portion delivering 50 g carbohydrate is about 185 g pulp

Is Durian safe? Any cautions or side effects?

Energy- and fat-dense for a fruit (~147 kcal and 5 g fat per 100 g), so large portions add up quickly; portion control matters for weight and, given its sugar load, for people with diabetes despite the low GI. Laboratory work shows durian extract inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase (the enzyme that clears acetaldehyde), giving biological plausibility to the traditional warning against combining durian with alcohol, which could raise acetaldehyde and worsen flushing/hangover-type effects; avoid heavy durian intake with drinking. High potassium content warrants caution in advanced kidney disease or with potassium-sparing/RAAS medications. These cautions are based largely on composition and in-vitro/animal data rather than controlled human trials.

How many studies support Durian?

NutriDex cites 10 sources for Durian, graded "Preliminary".

Cite this page
APA

Peh, D. (2026). Durian (Durio zibethinus): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & Evidence. NutriDex — The Supplement Research Compendium. Retrieved 26 Jun 2026, from https://nutridex.info/s/durian

BibTeX
@misc{nutridex_durian,
  author       = {Peh, Daryl},
  title        = {Durian (Durio zibethinus): Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects \& Evidence},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {NutriDex --- The Supplement Research Compendium},
  url          = {https://nutridex.info/s/durian},
  note         = {Reviewed by Dr Daryl Peh, MBBS Singapore, MMed FM. Accessed 2026-06-26}
}

For medical claims, citing the underlying primary studies linked above is preferred. NutriDex is an educational reference, not medical advice.

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