If you head to the spice market, you are likely to notice red coloured strands carefully stored in little boxes. Unlike the other spices which are strewn all over the place, Saffron is highly treasured. Saffron is known as Zafran or Kesar or safran or Saffron crocus. It is obtained from the violet coloured flowers of the Kesar plant. This is one of the most expensive ingredients in the world, with just a gram costing a few hundred. Once used exclusively in the Royal kitchens, saffron is now a highly regarded element in many traditional and modern culinary delights. Along with rendering a rich hue and delectable flavour to the food, Saffron benefits to our health in many ways. Read on to know more about this exotic spice!
What Is Saffron?
Saffron is nothing but the red coloured stigma of the Saffron flowers. These reddish-purple coloured flowers have a bunch of “threads” in the centre, which is highly valued in the food and medicine industry. They are quite rare to find and takes about 150 flowers to yield just one gram of Saffron. The best saffron in India is grown in hilly towns of Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
Is Saffron Good For Health?
Saffron is also known as the golden spice, for being both expensive and efficient. When taken with milk, saffron can make a soothing drink to comfort a disturbed mind. It is packed with many essential nutrients like Iron, Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamins like C, B6, and A, to ensure the well-being of our body. Saffron uses and benefits are especially known for rendering flawless skin along with treatment of acne, removal of pigmentation and even anti-ageing.
Saffron Nutritional Facts:
Following is the Saffron nutrition breakup per 100 grams:
- Total Calories – 310
- Total Fat – 6 gm
- Sodium – 148 mg
- Potassium – 1724 mg
- Total Carbohydrates – 65 gm
- Dietary Fiber – 3.9 gm
- Protein – 11 gm
- Vitamin C – 134 %
- Vitamin A – 10 %
- Vitamin B6 – 50 %
- Magnesium – 66 %
- Iron – 61 %
- Calcium – 11 %
How To Use Saffron?
The spice undoubtedly is good for our health and can be used for.
- Cooking.
- Aromatherapy.
- Making sweet dishes.
- Making rich food.
- To help add colour to milk.
- Saffron for hair.
- Saffron for skin.
- For inflammation.
- Relief from gas and acidity.
- Overall well being.
Amazing Saffron Benefits For Health, Hair & Skin:
Let’s understand some of the Saffron Benefits for hair, skin and health. To know if you are using genuine saffron, take a bit of the spice, immerse it in milk or water which is warm. Fake saffron would colour the liquid in a jiffy, genuine saffron wouldn’t.
1. Relieves Pain:
Saffron as a herb is known to help people who suffer from pains. It is also a natural spice which helps bring down a large number of ailments in the body too. Check the holy textbooks and there would be a mentioning of the spice being offered as medicine or used in treatments. They say saffron can be used in small quantities to help treat mild depression as well. The colour, they say brings vitality and cheer into a person’s life, and for women, it can be used as an aphrodisiac too.
2. Dental Pain:
Kesar benefits for oral health are widely known. In some countries, the mother passes on saffron to her children to help with toothache relief, for their babies. When the paste of saffron is massaged into the gums of the baby, using a gold ring coated with honey, it is said that the spice becomes a natural antiseptic and soothes the inflammation in the baby’s mouth. The same potion is used by women who suffer from menstrual cramps as well, with milk in this case and a little saffron added to it.
3. Good For Health Ailments:
Saffron is rich in B2 and flavonoids, which can help to keep the body free from various health issues and ailments. Riboflavin is abundantly available in the humble yet rich saffron, and the spice has an essential oil too, along with crocetins and Safranal which are carotenoids that would help with the balance of vitamin A in the body, say experts.
4. Clears Pigmentation:
Pigmentation can be treated internally and externally using saffron; since it helps the body stay clean. Even the digestive system is helped on a large scale using saffron, and the spice can be used as a sedative too, say experts. The spice is known to even help the nervous system; both as a tonic and as an analgesic too, say health experts.
5. Controls Blood Pressure:
The heart rate can be slowed down, the blood pressure levels can be brought down and respiration too can be helped when saffron is used every day, say holistic experts. Even the liver and kidneys would be helped, and if blood thinning is needed, saffron can work wonders on that as well.
See More: Bell Pepper Benefits
6. Treats Arthritis:
Even arthritis and inflammation can be brought down to a large extent using saffron. Studies have shown that saffron helps ease fatigue and inflammation of the muscle too. It can bring down the symptoms of swelling, redness and discomfort in the joints. The high calcium levels in saffron can strengthen bones, especially when taken with milk.
7. Cures Insomnia:
Those of you suffering from insomnia can have a pinch of saffron in warm milk before you sleep. Even fevers can be cured with the same concoction since the compound crocin in saffron would be of immense help. One can also enhance memory and learning abilities and remembering capacities too, having milk with a saffron touch. This is one of the best uses of Kesar.
8. Promotes Good Eye Health:
If you suffer from eye issues, loss of vision and more, saffron can help. Research and studies show that patients, who had saffron in their meals every day, had better chances of healthier vision than those who didn’t. Cataracts too at an early stage can be cured and prevented altogether, which is one of the major advantages of Kesar.
9. Immunity Booster:
Although individuals regularly assumes flavors as only food enhancing apparatuses, despite everything there are other saffron benefits they contain high groupings of certain vital supplements, including things like vitamin C. Ascorbic corrosive is so critical for human well being, as it animates the invulnerable framework’s generation of white platelets, the body’s first line of protection against ailment, furthermore is urgent to the creation of collagen, which is important for cell creation in the body, and adds to wound recuperating, muscle development, vein repair, and tissue creation ages of saffron.
10. Deals With Blood Circulation Problems:
Saffron can work as a viable vitality promoter and can expand your digestion system by expanding your blood flow. The high convergence of iron implies that saffron expands your RBC, which in this manner fortifies course and oxygenation of organ frameworks and the body’s furthest points. This enhances productivity and usefulness of our tissues and organ frameworks for more advantageous metabolic movement and keeps the side effects of paleness.
11. Good For Heart Health:
The uses of saffron contribute to enhancing the functioning of the heart. Improving the well being of the heart is by all accounts one of the top objectives in human well being today, and one straightforward approach to do this is to build your potassium consumption. Potassium goes about as a vasodilator, successfully bringing down the anxiety and weight on veins and conduits, permitting pulse to diminish and calming strain on the cardiovascular framework. This can anticipate things like atherosclerosis, heart assaults, and strokes from happening.
12. Prevents Diabetes:
The noteworthy levels of manganese can help the body to advance its glucose levels which incorporate as one of the major benefits of saffron. Diabetes is a standout amongst the most hazardous and broad conditions in our reality today, influencing a great many individuals all around. By directing your insulin and glucose levels, you can viably keep the onset of Type II diabetes, or deal with the manifestations on the off chance that you as of now experience the ill effects of this burden.
See More: Saffron Face Packs
13. Treats Anxiety:
Saffron has been known not mellow sadness and enhances a state of mind in the individuals who frequently devour it. The numerous dynamic mixes in saffron have some impact on the endocrine framework and can invigorate the arrival of useful hormones that keep us cheerful and sound. For ladies, this same impact has additionally been referred to go about as a Spanish fly. It has been hailed as a characteristic upper by various examination studies and associations.
14. Renders Glowing Skin:
Due to everyday contamination, unforgiving climate and a few different components, the skin has a tendency to end up dull with no life at all. Therefore saffron benefits for skin can be utilized to achieve glowing skin. Topical use of saffron over the skin can bring back the lost gleam on the face.
Include 3-4 strands of saffron to 1-2 tbsp of extremely boiling hot water in a little bowl. Cover and leave for at any rate thirty minutes. Before bed smash the strands well utilizing your fingers to concentrate saffron arrangement. Include half tbsp nectar and blend well. Apply a layer of this arrangement over clean skin.
15. Removal Of Sun Tan:
It is proved that saffron benefits for skin work wonders in the removal of tan. Soak a couple of strands of saffron strands in one tbsp heated water for at any rate 30 minutes. Pound the strands. Include a small measure of new cream to it and blend well. Apply this over clean face and abandon it overnight. Wash with tender face wash in the morning. Use nectar rather than cream if your skin is sleek.
16. Saffron Benefits In Pregnancy:
Using Kesar during pregnancy has been proven to bring down the levels of bad cholesterol or LDL in the body, and also fights triglycerides too. The spice can be used as a paste and applied topically on dry skin and infected skin for healing purposes too. It is said that pregnant women should have saffron to improve the skin colour of the baby to be born.
17. Treats Acne and Blemishes:
Saffron is known to be effective in curing acne breakouts. Along with clearing the infection of the skin pores, it can even lighten the scars caused by them. Saffron offers anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits to the skin which can bring down redness, inflammation of the skin and any microbial infections. The best way to use saffron for skin is to apply a paste of Saffron and turmeric and apply it on the affected areas.
18. Prevents Hair Loss:
Saffron benefits for hair are many. This spice is a rich source of anti-oxidants, which encourage new cell growth. It can stimulate hair follicles and repair them from the roots. Applying saffron for hair growth can deal with bald patches, even in cases of Alopecia, where new hair sprouts were noticed. Regular consumption of Saffron with milk, along with the topical application can strengthen hair.
19. Improves Digestion:
Saffron is wonderful for aiding in proper digestion. It has shown positive effects in treating many digestive disorders including those that are chemo-related. Taking a small pinch of Saffron every day can not only stimulate your appetite but also helps in speedy digestion of food. For people suffering from spleen and liver enlargement issues, a mixture of 1 gm saffron in 1-litre water can work like magic!
20. Fights Cancer:
Studies show that Saffron can effectively curb the cancer-causing cell growth, thereby preventing them from spreading to other parts. The three main agents in Saffron called Crocin, Crocetin and Safranal can lead to the death of cancer cells in the body. Especially, in cases of family history of Cancers, consuming Saffron can reduce the chances of falling prey to it.
See More: Saffron Side Effects
Using a pinch of Saffron benefits in good health and ensures your well-being. However, saffron flavoured food is not equal to taking saffron. Especially, the red coloured stuff that you see in the market may not be real! So, make sure to buy good quality spice from trusted brands, as the cheaper ones can be toxic to your health. What are you waiting for? Start using this amazing spice in your daily diet for a beautiful healthy life!
If you have tips, ideas and benefits or even recipes of saffron to share with us, we are listening. Do send in your inputs and suggestions and we would love to have them shared with all our readers too. Costly yes, but consider buying saffron and using it for long time health purposes too. This would be the best way to look good, feel good and to have hearty healthy meals too.
