KUALA LUMPUR – Health foods influencer Dr Dan the Science Man seems unable to tell a fresh rambutan from a rotten one, judging from a recent Facebook reel that has Malaysian commenters in stitches.
In a November 28 clip, he promotes the rambutan as a fruit that will slow the ageing process while holding up an almost-black, shrivelled fruit.
With his American accent, he also pronounces ‘rambutan’ with the third syllable of the word barely discernible, making it sound like “rambut” or hair in Bahasa Malaysia.
For that, Dr Dan, whose real name according to his linktr.ee page is Dan Gubler, a phytonutrient chemist, now has a barrage of comments from Malaysian netizens advising him on what a fresh rambutan really looks like.
“Rambut is hair, sir. Rambutan is a fruit. The one that you are holding is a rotten rambutan. You are right, Sir. You may slow down your aging because you may expedite your funeral by eating that Sir,” said a Muhammad Hilmi Salehuddin
“Omg. This is the rotten rambutan. Pls throw away,” said one Mei Ezed.
Several others pointed out the rotten rambutan, with some offering advice on the best time to harvest the fruit and that they are sweetest when the skin is red.
Some cautioned against eating too much due to rambutan’s high sugar content, while others said overconsumption could cause a cough and sore throat.
The reel has 1.4 million views, just under 2,000 comments and has been shared 3,900 times.
Dr Dan the Science Man, promotes “food as medicine”, and has 4,000 followers. – December 7, 2023