Health benefits of saffron
Saffron is the world’s most expensive and elusive spice — and for good reason. Saffron grows in only a few countries around the world and is challenging and expensive to harvest. Its distinct color, flavor and aroma has made it a popular spice in cuisines around the world, including Spanish paella and South Indian biryani. Plus, saffron is known for its surprisingly long list of health benefits, from boosting mood to fighting inflammation to treating ADHD and depression.
Keep reading to learn some of the most prominent health benefits of saffron and some information on how to add saffron to your diet, whether it’s in the form of food or supplements.
What is saffron?
Saffron comes from the stamen — the pollen-producing center of a flower — of a flower variety known as the crocus. These saffron threads, or stigmas, are hand-harvested from the crocus flower when it blooms and is carefully dried to create the aromatic and colorful spice used around the world. The crocus flower is grown in only a small handful of countries like Iran, Greece, Morocco and India, which is part of what accounts for its high price point. It’s also challenging to harvest and expensive for farmers to grow, as each flower produces only three stems of saffron. It takes about 1,000 crocus flowers to produce 1 ounce of saffron.
What does saffron taste like?
Saffron has a complex and interesting flavor described as floral, sweet, nutty and slightly metallic depending on who you ask. It also has a brilliant red hue that adds a bright yellow color to food.
How to use saffron
Add saffron to food
Saffron can be used in a number of different preparations in the kitchen. It’s typically steeped in water or another liquid, which imparts both color and flavor to a dish. Try adding saffron to a rice dish like Spanish paella or Italian risotto. You can also add saffron to a sauce or stew, and the flavor goes particularly well with seafood. While saffron is expensive, the flavor is quite strong, so it doesn’t take much to add the taste to a dish.
Try a saffron supplement
To maximize the health benefits of saffron, you might also consider a saffron extract supplement (like this one from Mother Nutrient). When choosing a saffron supplement, read the label carefully to ensure that it comes from a reputable source. If you plan to take saffron in supplement form, be careful not to overdo it. Taking large amounts of saffron has potential side effects and is considered unsafe in doses of more than 5 grams.
What to know before buying saffron
Saffron is available at many supermarkets in the spice section. You can also find saffron at many specialty food stores or spice stores and online marketplaces including Amazon, which sells high-quality saffron like this one from Zaran or this one from Golden Saffron.
Saffron is typically sold in its whole form as threads, but you can occasionally find it in ground form as well. Because saffron is expensive and rare, you may run into lower quality imitations or saffron that’s harvested unethically. Look for reputable brands with known quality and ethical standards (we love Burlap and Barrel and SpiceWalla, two companies known for quality sourcing and supplier relationships). You can also check saffron for quality yourself. High-quality saffron will have a distinct aroma, strong flavor and turn bright yellow when placed in water.
Why is saffron healthy?
Saffron has been used in traditional medicinal practices for thousands of years and has been studied in modern medicine as well. Saffron contains many beneficial compounds that contribute to overall physical and mental wellbeing. Here are a few of its most prominent health benefits.
Rich in antioxidants
Saffron contains a host of antioxidants like crocin, crocetin, safranal, and kaempferol which help to fight off free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body. Antioxidants play an important role in protecting from cell damage and fighting off cancer and disease. Crocin, crocetin and safranal, which give saffron its red hue and aroma, are shown to have positive effects on brain health and cognitive disease prevention. And kaempferol is shown to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.
Boosts mood
Saffron may have powerful effects in boosting mood and fighting off anxiety and depression. Some studies even found that high doses of saffron extract supplements were as effective for participants as conventional depression medication. More studies are needed to confirm its effects, so it’s important to speak to your doctor or mental healthcare professional before taking saffron for clinical depression. It’s generally suggested to consume saffron consistently to receive its mood-boosting effects, but you might even see an effect after one meal — or one dose of a supplement.
Fights PMS
Saffron can curb some of the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, including irritability, headaches, menstrual cramps and cravings. Some studies have shown that smelling saffron is enough to treat some symptoms and can help lower levels of the stress hormone called cortisol. Many PMS supplements (like this one from HUM) contain saffron for this reason.
Aphrodisiac
Saffron is known to improve libido and erectile function on top of increasing sexual satisfaction in some individuals. Studies show that its aphrodisiac effects are especially strong for those taking antidepressants.
Boosts brain and eye health
Safranal is the flavor compound in saffron and has been shown to protect brain cells from oxidative stress. The antioxidants in saffron improve cognitive function and memory, potentially playing a role in preventing degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Saffron might also prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and improve eyesight.
Weight loss aid
Some studies have shown that saffron can curb appetite and subsequently aid weight loss. One eight-week study found that women taking saffron supplements snacked less and lost more weight than those in a placebo group. Saffron has also been shown to lower blood sugar levels.
Treatment for ADHD
A recent study found that saffron is as effective for treating the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as methylphenidate, the stimulant primarily prescribed as treatment. While more evidence is needed to confirm its efficacy, the research is promising.
Katy Severson is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
