Saffron - Benefits and Uses Of The Most Expensive Spice

What are the impressive benefits of saffron? Why is it considered the most expensive spice?

SAFFRON – Crocus sativus or saffron is a plant that has a thread-like part where spice, food coloring, and medicine have come from.

One of the world’s most expensive spices is saffron. It takes 75,000 saffron blossoms in order to produce a pound (0.45 kilogram) of spice. And this is the reason why this is so expensive. It is harvested by hand. Its taste is subtle and it can add color and flavor to many dishes like Mediterranean and Asian dishes.

The blooms for only one week each year and each flower produces only three threads or stigmas.

Here are some of its impressive health benefits:

It has several plant compounds that act as antioxidants such as crocin, crocetin, safranal, and kaempferol.
Crocin and crocetin are the reasons behind the strong colors but these may also have the following:
- antidepressant properties
- protect brain cells
- improve inflammation
- reduce appetite
- help lose weight
These plant compounds acting as antioxidants has cancer-fighting properties.
It can help ease PMS symptoms such as irritability, headaches, cravings, pain, and anxiety.
It can help improve one’s libido.
Its antioxidants can lower blood cholesterol and prevent clogging in the blood vessels and arteries according to a post from Healthline.

In culinary, this is used as a spice for an added flavor to many dishes. It can also provide a golden yellow hue to a dish. Since its taste and aroma are pretty subtle, it can be easily added to your diet not just to add flavor and color but also add to the nutrition data.

This is used in certain Indian desserts such as Gulab Jamun or Malpua. It is also a main component in Spanish paella, Italian risotto, and French bouillabaisse.

When you buy this, make sure to pick the threads that are all reddish-orange in color, not yellow. The yellow threads are the stamen.