Can Babies Eat Durian?

The durian, also called the king of fruits, is the fruit of various tree species belonging to the family Durio. There exist 30 types of Durio, from which 9 produce edible fruits. The Durio zibethinus is the only species accessible on the international market, while others are traded in their native regions like Borneo and Sumatra. The durian has a distinctive large size, a specific strong smell, and a thorny rind. The fruit can grow 30 cm long, and can weigh up to 3 kg.

Durian fruit is used to flavor many sweet edibles like Malay candy, rose biscuits, ice creams, milkshakes or cappuccino. Es durian is a famous dessert in Indonesia, pulut dorian or ketan durian is a glutinous rice prepared with coconut milk and served along ripened durian. Tempoyak is actually fermented durian, which can be served cooked or raw, eaten with rice, and might be also used in the preparation of curry.

Durian has mostly water, but it is rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibers, it also has some fat and protein content. It has some B and C vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and zinc as well, but not in high volumes.

Why to avoid giving durian to babies?

Parents should avoid giving durian to babies until they are 2-3 years old. You could introduce durian into your child’s diet starting at the age of 12 months, but only in small quantities. Durian is high in fibers, and consuming foods with high fiber may lead to digestive disorders, flatulence, constipation. Fiber also requires chewing, which babies with not fully developed teeth cannot do, so giving durian to babies might lead to choking. Durian is high in sugar, although the fruit itself is not too sweet, giving too much sugar to your baby, can cause obesity and in time increase the risk of diabetes.