Saffron is one of the highly prized spices known since antiquity for its colour, flavour and medicinal properties. It is the dried "stigma" or threads of the flower of the S. crocus plant. The plant is a bulbous perennial plant that belongs to the family of iridaceae of the genus, Crocus and known botanically as Crocus sativus.

This exotic spice is a native of Southern Europe and now cultivated worldwide in many countries, particularly in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, and Iran and in Jammu & Kashmir state of India.
The Crocus sativus plant grows to about 15-20cm in height and bears lavender coloured flowers during each season, which lasts from October until November. Each flower features perianth, which consists of stalk, known as “style”, connecting to the three “stigmas” or threads to the rest of the plant. These orange-yellow coloured stigmas along with the style constitute "saffron" which is used as spice.

Good crop production demands cool dry climate with well-drained rich fertile soil and irrigation facilities or sufficient amount of rain fall. The flowers are generally harvested during the early morning hours and soon the stigma separated, allowed to dry and packed for marketing.

Saffron has distinct flavour because of the chemical components in it picrocrocin and safranal. It also contains a natural carotenoid chemical compound, crocin, which gives saffron its golden-yellow hue. These traits along with its medicinal properties make it a valuable ingredient in many foods worldwide.

Health benefits

Saffron contains many plant derived chemical compounds that are known to have anti-oxidant, disease preventing and health promoting properties.

The flower stigma are composed of many essential volatile oils but the most important being safranal, which gives saffron its distinct hay-like flavour. Other volatile oils in saffron are cineole, phenethenol, pinene,  borneol, geraniol, limonene, p-cymene, linalool,  terpinen-4-oil, etc.

This spice has many non-volatile active components; the most important of them is α-crocin, a carotenoid compound, which gives the stigmas their characteristic golden yellow colour. It also contains other carotenoids including zeaxanthin, lycopene, α- and β-carotenes. These are important antioxidants that helps protect body from oxidant-induced stress, cancers, infections and acts as immune modulators.

The active components in saffron have many therapeutic applications in many traditional medicines as antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-oxidant, digestive, anti-convulsant.

This novel spice is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, selenium, zinc and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are used by the body as co-factors for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Iron is essential for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for cytochrome oxidases enzymes.

It is also rich in many vital vitamins including vitamin A, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-C that are essential for optimum health.

Medicinal uses

The active components present in saffron have many therapeutic applications in many traditional medicines since long time ago as anti-spasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic.

Research studies have shown that, safranal, a volatile oil found in the spice, has antioxidant, cytotoxicity towards cancer cells, anticonvulsant and antidepressant properties.

Αlfa-crocin, a carotenoid compound, which gives the spice its characteristic golden yellow colour, has anti-oxidant, anti-depressant, and anti-cancer properties.

Immunity Health: Although people often think of spices as nothing but food flavouring tools, they still contain high concentrations of certain important nutrients, including things like vitamin C. Ascorbic acid is so important for human health, as it stimulates the immune system’s production of white blood cells, the body’s first line of defence against illness, and also is crucial to the production of collagen, which is necessary for cellular production in the body, and contributes to wound healing, muscle growth, blood vessel repair, and tissue production.

Circulation Issues: Saffron can function as an effective energy booster and can increase your metabolism by increasing your blood circulation. The high concentration of iron means that saffron increases your RBC, which thereby stimulates circulation and oxygenation of organ systems and the body’s extremities. This improves efficiency and functionality of our tissues and organ systems for healthier metabolic activity and prevents the symptoms of anaemia.

Blood Pressure and Heart Health: Improving the health of the heart seems to be one of the top goals in human health today, and one simple way to do this is to increase your potassium intake. Potassium acts as a vasodilator, effectively lowering the stress and pressure on blood vessels and arteries, allowing blood pressure to decrease and relieving strain on the cardiovascular system. This can prevent things like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, and strokes from occurring.

Diabetes: The significant levels of manganese can help the body optimize its blood sugar levels. Diabetes is one of the most dangerous and widespread conditions in our world today, affecting millions of people globally. By regulating your blood sugar, insulin, and glucose levels, you can effectively prevent the onset of Type II diabetes, or manage the symptoms if you already suffer from this affliction.

Mood and Anxiety: Saffron has been known to relieve mild depression and improve mood in those who regularly consume it. The many active compounds in saffron have some effect on the endocrine system and can stimulate the release of beneficial hormones that keep us happy and healthy. For women, this same effect has also been known to act as an aphrodisiac. It has been hailed as a natural antidepressant by numerous research studies and organizations.

Bone Strength: Some of the minerals and organic compounds in saffron have been linked to optimized nutrient uptake, particularly of calcium. By maximizing the amount of calcium that our bodies can absorb from food, we have a better chance of improving bone mineral density and preventing the onset of conditions like osteoporosis and other degenerative age-related diseases.

Nerve Function: The vitamin B family is one that is often overlooked in human health, but it plays a major role in nerve function throughout the body. More specifically, the high content of vitamin B6 found in saffron spice can help our nervous system running smoothly and prevent some of the deadly and dangerous disorders that arise from poor nervous system function.

Analgesic Qualities: Pain relief is always a valuable asset to an herb or natural remedy, and the volatile compound safranal in saffron acts as a sedative for many patients. This sedative action can help to relieve pain, reduce anxiety and stress, improve sleep patterns, and generally soothe the mind and body, which is always a good thing!

Cancer Prevention: With more than 100 different compounds acting within saffron’s complex form, antioxidants were bound to make an appearance. There are dozens of different antioxidant compounds found in saffron, many of which seek out and neutralize free radicals, the dangerous by-products of cellular metabolism that can cause healthy cells to mutate or die. This boosts the general health of the immune system, but more specifically, can prevent cancer from developing or spreading in the body.

Gastrointestinal Effects: One of the oldest and most well-known uses of saffron is for upset stomachs and excess flatulence. The sedative and anti-inflammatory nature of saffron helps to calm the stomach and reduce inflammation, which eases things like constipation, bloating, cramping, and more serious conditions like gastric ulcers.

Inflammation: As a topical tool used in massage, saffron oil and creams derived from the flower’s compounds can eliminate aches and pains throughout the body, while also relieving pain and discomfort. For people suffering from sports injuries, arthritis, gout, and other inflammatory conditions, this is a wonderful remedy. Also, for the topical healing of bruises and wounds, the quick-acting antioxidant compounds can help to speed the healing process.

A Final Word of Warning: Consuming saffron in high doses can be potentially dangerous, as the high concentration of active ingredients can have a range of effects on the body. However, in small doses (such as in meals or in pill supplement form), saffron is not known to have any common side effects or allergenic properties. Some side effects that have been reported include dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, anxiety, fatigue, and appetite changes, but these are rare. As always, consult a medical professional or trained herbalist before adding a powerful new element to your herbal regimen.