A dietitian has warned Malaysians against overindulging during the durian season, saying that eating 15 pieces of durian in one sitting is equivalent to consuming an entire extra meal.
Alpro Pharmacy community dietitian Khoo Wei Jin said the concern is not the king of fruits itself, but the tendency for people to lose track of how much they eat once durian is on the table.
“Most people wouldn’t eat six apples, eight oranges or 10 bananas in one sitting. But with durian, ‘just one more piece’ can quickly turn into 10, 15 or even 20 pieces,” she said.
Malaysia is currently experiencing its peak durian season following a bumper harvest across Pahang, Johor and Penang, resulting in premium varieties such as Musang King and Black Thorn becoming more widely available at lower prices.
Khoo shared observations from her own Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM), which showed her blood sugar rising significantly after consuming 15 pieces of durian.
Her glucose level increased from 4.9 mmol/L before eating to 8.0 mmol/L within an hour, peaking at 9.1 mmol/L after around 90 minutes before gradually returning to normal.
While she stressed that the observation was not part of a clinical study, she said it clearly demonstrated how excessive portions can increase the body’s glucose load.
“It wasn’t caused by a single piece. Every additional piece added more carbohydrates for the body to process,” she explained.
According to Khoo, an average 27-gram piece of durian contains approximately 45 kilocalories and 8 grams of carbohydrates, along with beneficial nutrients including fibre, potassium, vitamin C and antioxidants.
Under the Malaysian Dietary Guidelines, two pieces of durian are considered one serving.
However, consuming 10 pieces provides roughly 450 kilocalories and 80 grams of carbohydrates, while 15 pieces delivers around 675 kilocalories and 120 grams of carbohydrates—more than what many people consume in a typical meal.
Khoo also pointed out that many mistakenly believe durian can be eaten freely because it has a low-to-medium glycaemic index, when the more important consideration is its glycaemic load, especially when eaten in large quantities.
She said this is particularly important for individuals with diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance, weight management concerns or a family history of diabetes.
To enjoy durian more healthily, Khoo recommends limiting consumption to about two pieces per serving, avoiding it after heavy meals, sharing the fruit with family or friends, and eating it slowly instead of overeating.
“The first two pieces are usually not the problem. It’s the 10 or 15 pieces that quietly add another meal’s worth of calories and carbohydrates,” she said.
