Saffron

Saffron is one of the highly prized spices known since antiquity for its color, flavor 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, in 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, iran, and in the indian state of jammu & kashmir.

It is produced from the crocus sativa, or the blue autumn flowering crocus, cultivated in this country, and on the continent. Saffron is sold by the druggists either in the form of hay saffron, or of " cake saffron." the former is composed of the loose dried stigmata.

It is used as medicine, and as colouring matter. It was at one time a favourite stimulant and antispasmodic. It is now given when scarlatina, or the measles are suspected, as an expulsive, to hasten the eruption. It is good in asthma, cough, and difficulty of breathing, and is a good remedy for the jaundice. It must be used as a decoction.

Saffron contains many plants derived chemical compounds that are known to have been anti-oxidant, disease preventing, and health promoting properties. Their flower pistils compose several essential volatile oils, but the most important of them all is safranal, which gives saffron its pleasant flavor. Other volatile oils in saffron are cineole, phenethenol, pinene, borneol, geraniol, limonene, p-cymene, linalool, terpinen-4-oil, etc. This colorful spice has many non-volatile active components; the most important of them is a-crocin, a carotenoid compound, which gives pistils their characteristic golden-yellow color.

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

Their flower pistils compose several essential volatile oils, but the most important of them all is safranal, which gives saffron its pleasant flavor. Other volatile oils in saffron are cineole, phenethenol, pinene,a borneol, geraniol, limonene, p-cymene, linalool,a terpinen-4-oil, etc.

This colorful spice has many non-volatile active components; the most important of them is a-crocin, a carotenoid compound, which gives pistils their characteristic golden-yellow color.ait also contains other carotenoids, including zea-xanthin, lycopene, a- and a-carotenes. These are important antioxidants that help protect the human 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.

Additionally, it is also rich in many vital vitamins, including vitamin a, folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin-c that is essential for optimum health.

The crocus sativus plant grows to about 15-20cm in height and bears lavender colored flowers during each season, which lasts from october until november. Each flower features perianth, which consists of a stalk, known as astyle,a connecting to the three astigmasa or threads to the rest of the plant.

These orange-yellow colored stigmas along with the "style" constitutes "saffron" which is used as spice. Good saffron 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 their stigma separated,allowed to dry, and packed for marketing. Saffron has a distinct flavor that comes from chemical compounds in it such as 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 cuisines worldwide.

It also contains other carotenoids, including zea-xanthin, lycopene, a-and b-carotenes. These are important antioxidants that help protect the human 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.

One of the main saffron benefits when used in cooking food is that it contains many plant derived chemical components which are known to prevent diseases.

They are also known to promote overall well-being of the body.

The plant part from which saffron is obtained contains essential but volatile oils which when added to food, imparts its unique flavour and benefits of saffron as a spice.

Some of these oils are cineole, pinene, borneol, geraniol etc.

Apart from the volatile oils, there are also non-volatile active components like carotenoid compound that are anti-oxidants beneficial to the body.

These prevent free radical reactions which produce harmful by-compounds and diseases.

Some of the carotenoids like zea-xanthin, lycopene, alpha and beta carotene are widely appreciated.

This is also one of the main uses of saffron.

In many religions, saffron is not just considered a spice.

It is used in various types of therapies like body healing, detoxification and also in the spas.

Asthma can be a really frustrating problem for a lot of people.

It can make it very difficult to breathe.

The reason it makes it hard to breathe is because your lungs become inflamed.

When your lungs become inflamed, your airways begin to restrict which causes less air to be able to pass through.

Saffron helps to clear your airways making it easier for you to breath.

Saffron is a mild sedative which helps treat insomnia.

If you have insomnia you can try milk with a pinch of saffron in it before going to bed.

This will help with insomnia and other sleep disorders.

It regulates sleep hormones which leads to sound sleep.

If you are someone that has trouble sleeping, using a saffron herbal supplement can also help you to avoid those restless or sleepless nights.

The best way to use saffron to help you sleep is by mixing it with some milk or tea and your favorite sweetener and then drinking it before bed.

Arteriosclerosis is a very dangerous condition in which the arteries begin to harden.

When your arteries harden they have trouble transporting the amount of oxygen needed to different parts of the body.

Because this condition is not easy to detect in early stages, it is vital to take precautions early on.

This is where using saffron as an herbal supplement can help.

An herbal saffron supplement can decrease the chances of getting arteriosclerosis.

The saffron acts as a stimulant and an antioxidant to help increase the circulation throughout the body.

According to research, saffron can also help aide in a persons fight with cancer.

Cancer cells grow by building and creating their own blood supply in the body.

Saffron is thought to help fight cancer by entering the cancer cells and sending them a signal to commit suicide (known as apoptosis), thus leading to the cancer dying off.

Saffron contains carotenoids which are thought to cause toxic and deadly reactions to certain cancer cells in the body, such as leukemia cells, sarcoma cells, and cancerous carcinoma cells.

For women who have irregular periods, they can take saffron to help regulate their menstruation.

An herbal saffron supplement can help induce menstruation as well as help relieve pain that is associated with periods.

Along with period relief, saffron can also help to reduce chronic uterus bleeding.

A study conducted in 2008 found that 76% of women who consumed saffron experienced 50% drop in pms symptoms such as fatigue and mood swings.

Saffron milk also helps relieve menstrual cramps.

The active components in the saffron make our body lose its depressing characteristics making it a dietary necessity sometimes.

Saffron is also a digestive and an anti convulsant.

Potassium also helps maintains the blood pressure and keeps heart diseases at bay.

Iron is a very useful component in the body as the blood requires it to form haemoglobin and it is a co-factor in the red blood cell production too.

Potassium, found in saffron, is a necessary source that favours cell formation and repair.

According to a study by professor silvia bisti at arc centre of excellence in vision science and university of laaquila in italy, it was found that saffron can slow down vision loss associated with aging.

It alters the genes responsible for fatty acid content of vision cell membranes.

Due to the compound crocin in saffron, its also useful for reducing fever.

Have saffron milk if youare suffering from fever and it will help lower your fever.

Saffron has anti-cancerous properties which make it useful for preventing cancer.

Saffron contains crocin and safranal that inhibit the growth of tumors and is useful for preventing colon, liver, and ovarian cancer.

Saffron contains powerful anti-oxidants crocin and crocetin that help boost your memory and improve the learning process.

Eating saffron also reduces cellular stresses.

You can also help prevent alzheimeras and parkinsonas diseases by enjoying saffron.

It helps retaining data as well as recollection of old data and is helpful for people with adhd.

Saffron is used as a toothache remedy for teething babies.

You can make a natural lotion by mixing honey with saffron and massage the gums with a ring coated with this antiseptic lotion.

It also helps reduce soreness and inflammation in the mouth.

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.

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

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

?lfa-crocin, a carotenoid compound, which gives the spice its characteristic golden-yellow hue, has beenfound to have anti-oxidant, anti-depressant, and anti-cancer properties. (medical disclaimer).