You can smell it in the air, durian season is back once again and there is no better time to indulge in that rich, creamy flesh of the king of fruits and attempt to chase those pandemic blues away.
But is it safe? Does the eating of durians affect your body’s immunity, especially if you just got your COVID-19 vaccination? It seems that there was some chatter amongst the various community forums on the pros and cons of feasting on durians. There was even this viral message that reported that a man who just received his COVID-19 vaccine, died after consuming durian. It has since been debunked by Malaysia’s Health Ministry but that seeded the doubt and uncertainty amongst many durian lovers out there.
If you are having doubts about durians and how it might impact your COVID-19 vaccination pre and post, fret not, as we have invited Ms. Bibi Chia, Principal Dietitian from Raffles Medical Group, to address some of the common questions that you may have about durians and COVID-19 vaccination.
Q&A with Ms. Bibi
1. Should I avoid eating durians before and/or after getting my COVID-19 Vaccination shot?
Bibi: There are no medical reports indicating that durian should be avoided before or after your vaccination. In fact durian is rich in nutrients such as potassium, dietary fibre, iron, vitamin C, and vitamin B complex.
2. Will taking durians worsen my COVID-19 vaccination side effect?
Bibi: No. Taking durian should not worsen the side effects of your vaccination.
3. Any tips for durian lovers who are taking the COVID-19 vaccination?
Bibi: It is safe to eat durians. However, as with all foods, moderation is key. Durians are high in calories and over consumption might lead to weight gain. It is also high in carbohydrates and hence people with diabetes might have to limit their intake of durian to prevent blood sugar spikes.
It is safe to eat durians (in moderation, of course).
So with that, we have established that it is safe to eat durians.
But is it safe to go buy them? With the current COVID-19 situation, many people have preferred to stay at home, venturing out only for essential activities.
Some die-hard durian lovers might make the argument that buying durians is definitely worth it but for most of us, maybe we can consider a safer and ultimately, more convenient method with the recent explosion of delivery services for durians.
One such service is Durian Delivery, Singapore’s 1st online durian delivery platform. They have mastered the art of bringing in the highest quality durians to Singapore within 10 hours of harvest, ready to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home.
Want more COVID-19 vaccination dietary tips?
For more dietary tips on what you should or should not be eating and drinking for your COVID-19 vaccination, you may read our blog article here.
