What Food & Beverage Should Avoid After Eating Durian
Durian, often called the “King of Fruits,” is a staple in many Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia. Its distinct aroma and rich, creamy texture make it a beloved fruit for many. However, while enjoying durian, it’s essential to be mindful of what you consume alongside or after eating durian. Some food and beverages can react negatively with this fruit, causing digestive discomfort or even more serious health risks. In this article, we’ll explore what you should avoid after eating durian and why.
Why Certain Foods and Drinks Should Be Avoided After Eating Durian
Durian is a rich, heaty fruit, meaning that it can raise the body’s internal temperature. Its high fat and calorie content make it difficult to digest for some, especially when paired with other heaty or oily foods. Because of its complex digestion, eating durians along with certain items can lead to discomfort, bloating, and even heart risks.
1. Avoid Alcohol After Eating Durian
One of the most important combinations to avoid is alcohol and durian. Many experts warn that consuming alcohol shortly after eating durian can be dangerous. This is because durian contains high levels of sulfur, which can inhibit the enzyme that helps the liver break down alcohol. When this enzyme is blocked, the body struggles to metabolize alcohol efficiently, leading to potential toxicity in the system.
Consuming alcohol after eating durian can cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or in extreme cases, a spike in blood pressure or even cardiac arrest. To avoid any potential health risks, it’s best to wait at least several hours before drinking alcohol after eating durian.
2. Dairy and Oily Foods: A Heavy Combination
Another food category to avoid after eating durian is dairy products. Milk, cheese, and cream-based products, when consumed with durian, can be overly rich, leading to digestive discomfort. Both dairy and durian are high in fats, which can slow down digestion, causing bloating, gas, or indigestion.
Similarly, oily foods, especially deep-fried items, should be avoided after eating durian. Fried foods are hard to digest on their own, and combining them with durian’s richness can overburden your digestive system. Deep-fried snacks, fries, or greasy fast foods are best skipped after a durian feast.
3. Avoid Spicy Foods and Heaty Ingredients
Durian is considered a heaty food, meaning it has properties that increase the body’s warmth. In traditional Chinese medicine, consuming too much heaty food can cause imbalances, leading to symptoms such as sore throats, ulcers, or digestive issues. Spicy foods like curries, and dishes made with ginger, garlic, chili, and peppers should be avoided after eating durian, as they are also heaty ingredients.
The combination of durian with heaty and spicy foods can lead to an overload of heat in the body, resulting in discomfort such as indigestion, sweating, or even heart palpitations in some cases. Popular Malaysian dishes like sambal or spicy curries should be eaten with caution if you’ve had durian recently.
4. Skip the Caffeine: Coffee and Tea
After eating durian, it’s best to avoid caffeine, whether in coffee, tea, or energy drinks. Durian naturally has stimulating effects, and when paired with caffeine, it can lead to overstimulation of the nervous system. This might cause restlessness, palpitations, or a jittery feeling.
Additionally, the combination of durian and caffeine could increase your heart rate more than either would on its own. We suggest switching to herbal teas or water if you’re looking for a beverage after a durian meal.
5. Say No to Carbonated Drinks
While it may seem tempting to drink a fizzy soda after a heavy durian meal, this is something you should avoid. Carbonated drinks can increase the bloating sensation after eating durian, making you feel more uncomfortable.
The gas in these drinks can expand in the stomach, causing discomfort or pressure. Instead, opt for plain water or a light, non-carbonated beverage to stay hydrated without worsening your digestion.
6. Heavy Proteins Like Beef or Mutton
Eating durians with heavy proteins, such as beef 或 mutton, is another combination to avoid. Both meats are considered heaty, and they are also hard to digest due to their high fat content. When paired with durian, which is already rich, it can lead to digestive discomfort and a sluggish feeling.
Additionally, combining durian with these meats can overload the body with fat and cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart issues or indigestion. If you’re planning a meal that includes durian, opt for lighter proteins such as fish or chicken instead.
7. Avoid Eating Durian With Curries
While curries are a staple in Malaysian cuisine, eating them right after or alongside durian is not a good idea. Curries are often rich in spices, oil, and coconut milk, making them heavy and heaty. When you combine these elements with durian, it can cause digestive problems, especially if the curry is spicy.
To avoid overwhelming your digestive system, wait a few hours before indulging in curries or other heaty dishes after a durian meal.
8. Garlic and Ginger: A Fiery Combination
Many people love using ginger and garlic in cooking, but these ingredients are also heaty and can raise your body’s internal temperature. After eating durian, it’s advisable to avoid dishes heavy with these two ingredients to prevent further heat accumulation in your system.
Whether it’s stir-fried dishes or soups, skip garlic- and ginger-heavy meals for a while to keep your body in balance after consuming durian.
9. Oily and Deep-Fried Foods
We can’t stress this enough, oily and deep-fried foods are a big no-no after eating durian. Malaysia has an abundance of delicious fried snacks like pisang goreng (fried bananas) and keropok lekor (fish crackers), but these should be consumed separately from durian.
Oily food slows down digestion, and combined with the richness of durian, it can leave you feeling lethargic and bloated. Stick to light, steamed, or grilled foods to maintain comfort.
10. Avoiding Cold Water After Durian
Although this may seem counterintuitive, drinking cold water immediately after eating durian is not recommended. Cold water can interfere with digestion and make you feel bloated or uncomfortable. Instead, drink lukewarm water to help digestion and reduce the risk of bloating.
How to Neutralize Heaty Effects After Eating Durian
Durian is a heaty fruit, and consuming too much can sometimes lead to discomfort, such as a sore throat or body heat imbalance. To counteract these effects, you can drink salt water or drink water from a durian husk. Salt water helps to cool the body and restore balance, while water from the inside of a durian husk is a traditional remedy used by many to reduce heatiness. Simply pour water into the husk after eating the fruit and drink it to feel refreshed and balanced.
結論
Durian is a truly unique fruit that many Malaysians love, but it’s important to be aware of what foods and drinks you should avoid after eating durian. Combinations like alcohol, spicy foods, dairy, coffee, and deep-fried items can cause digestive discomfort or even pose serious health risks.
To enjoy durian safely, stick to lighter, easily digestible foods and non-caffeinated beverages. By being mindful of these combinations, you can fully enjoy durian without any unpleasant aftereffects!
Looking for the best-quality durians? Shop fresh, high-quality durian delivery now at Dury Dury and experience the King of Fruits at its finest!
