Durian vs Jackfruit: What Is The Difference?
Aside from the smell, these two fruits have several differences. If you want to know what these are, scroll down and read the information we have highlighted in this article: Durian vs Jackfruit.
Durian and Jackfruit are both delicious tropical fruits that are grown on trees. What they have something in common is their outside shells being spiky, but these two fruits differ in so many ways—- from their appearances, down to their individual uses.
Durian Vs Jackfruit
JACKFRUIT VS. DURIAN: THEIR DIFFERENCES
Both jackfruit and durian are wild fruits. These two are also considered as a healthy snack. Ripe jackfruit has a sweet taste, so does the durian. Looking at their appearances, some may have mistaken the two fruits as one and the same. But jack fruit and durian fruit are actually two different fruits.
In this article, we will check how the jackfruit differs from a durian in terms of taste, their sizes, origins, and so on. So if you want to know more about the difference between jackfruit versus durian, scroll down and read further…
DURIAN
Durian, an edible fruit known as “the king of fruits“, is a unique tropical fruit popular in Southeast Asia. The name durian is acquired from dûrî, a Malay language that means “thorn“.
Durian belongs to the Malvacae family and is closely related to the mallow family.
Durian fruit has a round or oval shape with green or brown husk color, and can grow up to 30 cm in length and 15 cm width. It has a custard-like flesh with large seeds. Durian’s flesh can be white, yellow, red, or green.
The interior of the durian fruit is split into five fruit pods. Each pod holds a part of edible flesh. Durian fruit also has round seeds, which are also edible when cooked.
Durian fruits also come in different varieties, but Durio zibethinus is the most common one.
The durian trees can grow up to 150 feet tall and can generate between 15 to 800 durian fruits annually. The tree trunk of a durian is very strong and is usually high. In fact, it can live up to 150 years old or more. Durian leaves have coppery undersides.
Though durian smell is potent, it is undeniably nutritious. Its stinky undertones have been compared to rotten eggs, turpentine, rotting onions, sewage, or smelly socks. Its smell is definitely unwanted which is the reason why these durian fruits are banned from various public transport systems in Asia. In fact, durian fruit is also forbidden to be eaten in some public places.
Durian taste is sweet, a bit salty and with savory notes. It has a similar taste of a sweet cheese, scrambled eggs, or a mixture of caramel and caramel. But the durian’s unique taste will surely outshine its pungent smell.
Unripe durian is usually used in vegetarian dishes, which is distinguishable because unripe durian tastes like chicken.
Though durian appears to have a strong smell, the edible portion of durian offers innumerable health benefits.
Durian fruit is rich in vitamin C that helps fight free radicals in our body. It can reduce the formation of wrinkles and pigmentation. Durian also contains niacin, iron, potassium, riboflavin, thiamin, folic acid, and manganese.
Average durian may contain about 486 grams of edible pulp.
Durian is a good source of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates but contains less nutrition value than jackfruit.
Eating the edible flesh of the durian fruit reduces thyroid inflammation, headaches, lower blood pressure, and lessens symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression.
Durian fruit is also filled with antioxidants, giving you the anti-aging health benefits.
Apart from these nutritional benefits, eating durian fruit helps you sleep soundly.
Durian’s preparation includes boiled and roasted for the seeds, juice, soup, as desserts, and a side dish. It can also be used as a traditional medicine.
JACKFRUIT
Another tropical fruit grown in Asia, South America, and Africa is the Jackfruit. This edible fruit is known as jack tree, and belongs to the Moraceae family. Jackfruit originates from the region between southern India, the entire Sri Lanka, and the hinterlands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines.
The ripe jackfruit smell is distinctive, musky, and has a similar flavor to a juicy fruit gum. Additionally, jackfruit turns yellow when ripened. It is often called the stinky fruit because jackfruit smells are somewhat distinct due to its sulfur content.
Unlike durian that emerges from along the branches, jackfruits clustered near the tree trunk or grow on it.
Jackfruit trees are also larger than durian. In fact, it is named as the largest of the tree fruits all over the world.
The jackfruit rind is a bit spiny, but more pebbled or bumpy. Its skin has a resemblance to the alligator skin. The jackfruit meat is divided into smaller pods.
Green jackfruit has a mild flavor and has seeds that are not yet developed. This green jackfruit is often cooked.
Fully ripened jackfruit has a strong pleasant smell while the jackfruit pulp resembles the banana and pineapple odor.
As to its nutritional value, Jackfruit helps boost the immune system and prevent the risk of infections as it is a good source of vitamin C. Eating jackfruit also prevents fungal infection, inflammation, and microbial related diseases.
Compared to avocados, apple, and apricot, raw jackfruit has higher mineral content. Raw jackfruit is also a good source of vitamin B6, niacin, folic acids, and riboflavin.
Jackfruit contains antioxidants that can prevent or delay body cell damage. Additionally, this tropical fruit can prevent cancer, heart disease, macular generation, and cataracts.
The seeds of the jackfruit are also edible. In fact these are highly nutritious. Eating the seeds can help improve digestion and lower cholesterol levels.
SUMMARY: Jackfruit Vs Durian
To give you a better picture about the difference between the jackfruit and durian, here’s a brief summary of what has been mentioned above. As mentioned, jackfruit and durian differ in terms of taste, size, origin, appearance, nutritional value, and uses.
SIZE
Jackfruit and durian are actually larger than the other fruits in the category. But talking about the actual size of a jackfruit versus durian, the former is quite bigger than the latter.
A jackfruit tree can grow up to three feet long and may reach up to 110 pounds in weight, while an adult durian tree can only reach up to 50 meters long, having 120 meters of trunk diameter.
TASTE
Both jackfruit and durian are sweet in taste once ripened. What differs is the texture and flavor of both fruits. Fully ripened durians are creamy, sweet, have a softer texture, but with a pungent taste. Meanwhile, ripened jackfruits are sweet and crunchy. The jackfruit seeds can also be eaten.
Both tropical fruits have edible seeds. Raw jackfruit seeds taste like sunflower seeds or almonds. The durian seeds have a taste closely the same as with the jackfruit.
ORIGIN
Durian is native to Southeast Asia, and is a tropical fruit tree from the Bombacaceae family. This family is divided into about 51 genres.
While Jackfruit originated to the western coast of India, and belongs to the Moraceae family. This family comprises more than 1100 species and about 38 genera.
APPEARANCE
Jackfruit and durian may appear the same at first glance as they have thorny rind, the outer shell of the durian is spinky while jackfruit is quite pebbly. The durian spikes are sharper and larger compared to a jackfruit.
The interior of the durian fruit is divided into larger pods, while jackfruit meat is divided into smaller pockets.
SMELL
Durian fruit has a smell similar to rotten onions, raw sewage, and turpentine. But some claimed that it has a pleasant and sweet aroma. Jackfruit has a similar smell to a bubble gum mixed with pineapple or banana, but with a slight side of a rotten onion.
NUTRITION VALUE
Both durian and jackfruit contain copper, folate, magnesium, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, potassium, and vitamins B6, A, and C. But still, jackfruit nutrition value differs from the durian nutrition value.
Jackfruit contains less calories than a durian fruit. A cup of jackfruit contains 157 calories, while a cup of durian has 357 calories. Jackfruit is also lower in terms of fats, carbs, and fats, but contains more macronutrients than durian.
Durian is also higher in fiber but lower in glycemic index. Durian fruit is also the winner in terms of mineral content.
USES
Traditionally, jackfruit is used as medicine. It is taken as an aphrodisiac, and usually eaten by diabetics. The paste of the jackfruit is also applied to the skin to remedy poisonous bites. While the wood of the jackfruit tree is often used to make musical instruments and furniture.
Aside from being consumed as a side dish, durian is also used as medicine and undeniably an energy dense fruit. Just like the jackfruit, durian is used to lower high blood pressure, for liver disease, fever, and other health conditions.
VERDICT
Jackfruit and durian may differ in so many things, but one thing is for sure, these two tropical fruits are certified delicious and healthy fruits.
And that covers everything about jackfruit and durian. Hope this information has helped you one way or another, if you find this content relevant, feel free to share this post. Thank you for reading!
