SAFFRON –Crocus
Sativus
Also
known as: Dyer’s saffron, Thistle saffron, Parrot’s corn, Red gold,
Kesar, Zafaran, American saffron, Mexican saffron, etc.
Parts
used: flowers, seeds, stigmas
Systems/organs
affected: reproductive, lymphatic, nervous, respiratory,
skin, spleen, liver, kidneys, heart, blood
Properties:
emmenogogue, carminative, diaphoretic, sedative, stimulant, antispasmodic,
aphrodisiac, abortifacient (in large doses), alterative, anti-inflammatory,
antioxidant, antidepressant, digestive, antiseptic, anti-convulsant
Saffron is a member of the
Iridaceae (iris) family. It is a small
bulbous perennial with 6 petaled, purple-blue flowers (much like the iris but
more like a daisy when it comes to the numbers of petals on the flower), three
golden yellow stamens and one red pistil.
The pistil has 3 filaments (stigmas) that are red and when dried are what
give us the spice we know as saffron. It
has a weird growing cycle-the leaves appear in September and the plant blooms
in October and then dries up around May.
So its growing cycle is backwards.
The bulbs are planted 6 inches deep in late July to early August. New plants take two to three years to bloom
and are best propagated through root/bulb division. It is native to India, the Middle East and
parts of Asia but is now commercially produced in Greece, Spain, Iran, Italy,
France, Morocco, Kashmir, Azerbaijan, China, Israel, Egypt, Mexico and
Turkey. It grows best in cold,
well-drained, fertile soil with sufficient amount of rainfall. Flowers are harvested in the early morning
hours and the stigmas are immediately removed and dried for market.
Saffron is a spice that dates back to the
ancients. The plant was dedicated to the
sun by the Egyptians and it was a regular in the gardens of King Solomon. It was used in religious ceremonies by the
Egyptians and was part of Cleopatra’s most used cosmetics. It was used by many cultures for dye and it
is said that Buddhist monks used it for their robes but that is speculation.
Crocodiles are said to be named for this plant (crocus) as they were said to
only shed tears when the plant bloomed.
(The scent is ‘blissful’ references say.) The flowers were used in cosmetics and
perfumes by the Babylonians. The Arabs
brought it to Spain where it became a regular crop in Valencia and Alicante. The Crusaders found it in Asia Minor and
brought it to the Gatinais. Sir
Porchaire brought the first bulbs to Boynes.
It was so popular that King Louis XIV proclaimed it MUST be grown in
Gatinais officially. The saffron
production did so well there that for 200 years it dictated the price of
saffron around the globe. (There is even
a saffron museum in Boynes, France).
Records show that by 1789 Gatinais produced 30,000 kg (66,138 lbs.) of
saffron and close to 100 years later they were still producing at least 10,000
kg (22,046 lbs.). Kashmir has many
flowery meadows referred to as “Happy Valley” where saffron grows in
abundance. There are even Cretan
paintings dating back to 1600 B.C. where saffron is featured as a trade
item. It is the MOST expensive spice in
the world and rightly so. It is labor
intensive to cultivate and harvest.
There are no machines delicate enough to pull the pistil filaments from
the flower and as such the work is still done by hand. Elderly women are given the job of removing
the threads from the flower heads. It
takes roughly 4500 flowers to make 1 ounce of saffron and 150,000 flowers to
make 2.2 pounds of stigmas and 5 kg (11 pounds) of stigmas to make 1 kg (2.2
pounds) of saffron spice. Due to the
expense there are many scammers out there passing off fakes as saffron. American and Mexican versions of saffron are
often turmeric and/or safflower which are both much cheaper but to a trained
eye the façade would be obvious. For
this reason I urge you to purchase filaments rather than powdered as the powder
tends to be anything but saffron. The
filaments should be a dark red with orange tips. There should be NO other color. The redder it is the higher the quality it
will be. If the tips aren’t orange it is
of lesser quality (that usually means the saffron has been dyed). Saffron threads are also brittle and hard to
the touch. Many times the stigmas
are mixed with arnica, safflower or
calendula petals so only buy stigmas from a reputable source or ethnic grocer.
(www.goldensaffron.com)
It will have a strong sweet scent. It
was considered such a crime to sell fake saffron in ancient times that people
caught doing it were executed on the spot (in 15th century Nuremburg
some dealers were burned at the stake for doing it and some others were buried
alive) so it was a VERY serious offense!
While saffron has a lengthy trade
history its medicinal one is no less impressive. Both Hippocrates and Galen spoke of using it
for colds, flatulence, stomach issues, coughs, heart problems, insomnia, scarlet
fever and uterine bleeding to name a few.
Paracelsus used it to alleviate gout.
Gerard said that, “For those at
death’s doure and almost passed breathing, saffron bringeth breath again.” In Morocco it was used with honey on teething
rings for infants to relieve toothaches.
Women would make a tea with milk and saffron to help with menstrual
pain. In Asia it was used as an
aphrodisiac, for depression and for hysteria related to opium use. The physician to the Pharoahs used it for
stomach aches. Modern science has
finally started to take not of saffron’s healing abilities. A host of studies have proven it to be
effective for a great many things. For
instance, animal studies have shown that saffron extract can reduce the
formation of ulcers and prevent damage to the gastric mucosa. This may be due to some of saffron’s
components-mainly safranal, crocin and crocetin.
Scientists in Mexico found that
saffron had the ability to cause apoptosis (cell death) in several different
types of cancer without affecting normal cells (leukemia, soft tissue sarcomas,
ovarian carcinoma and colon adenocarcinoma to be precise). Not only did it inhibit cancer cells-it was
found to stimulate the formation of lymphocytes (the body’s immune cells).
Depression is a chronic problem-especially
here in America. In a study done
regarding this topic it was found that saffron worked as well as imipramine for
mild to moderate depression.
An animal study done on rats
found that saffron is also useful for diabetes.
Rats given a high fructose diet developed a resistance to insulin. When supplemented with crocetin the insulin
sensitivity went away. (www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955286306000805)
In yet another study this spice
was found to reverse the damage to the neurological system from aluminum
toxicity. Perhaps that is why it is
encapsulated in Japan and used there for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other
neurological disorders. Some studies
show supplementing with saffron (IMPIRAN) for 22 weeks improved Alzheimer’s as
well as the drug Aracept (Even WebMD VERIFIES that!!!) (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23168242)
Research has also shown that it
may play a role in preserving one’s eyesight.
Saffron supplements were found to improve retinal function in patients
with macular degeneration. It is believed
that components within saffron protect the light sensitive cells within the eye
from retinal stress. (A longitudinal follow-up study of saffron supplementation in
early stage age-related macular degeneration: sustained benefits to central
retinal function. Evidence Based Complementary Alternative
Medicine, 2012).
Jethro Kloss said it was one of
the most reliable remedies for measles. (Perhaps it should be a regular in
college cuisines since they seem to have outbreaks all the time).
Aside from the
aforementioned-saffron has also been proven useful for hair loss, skin issues,
blood pressure, cholesterol issues, blood issues (Michael Tierra says it is one
of the ‘finest blood vitalizers’),
impotence, anemia, enlarged liver and/or spleen issues, asthma, infertility,
neuralgia and/or rheumatic issues, hysteria, chronic diarrhea, pain management,
toothaches, oral problems, colds, fatigue, menstrual complaints, muscular
issues, insomnia, cancer, erectile problems, stress, memory loss, inflammation
and/or inflammatory conditions, delayed puberty and more. Saffron is also highly valued as an actual
culinary spice. It is prized throughout
the globe as an important part of French bouillabase, Spanish paella, Italian
risotto, Britian’s Cornish cakes as well as a host of uses in yogurt and
desserts in the Middle East and India.
Saffron has a ton of nutritional
value containing a significant amount of riboflavin, vitamin C, copper,
calcium, niacin, selenium, zinc, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin A, iron, B6,
potassium and of course, carotenoids with zeaxanthin and lycopene being the
forerunners. It also contains a host of
essential volatile oils-most notable safranal.
Some others are pinene, limonene, cineole, geraniol and borneol to name
a few. Dr. David Frawley (author of Ayurveda
and the Mind amongst others) stated that saffron is spiritually
balancing and gives one “the energy of
love, devotion and compassion.”
Perhaps this is due to the manganese content of saffron which is 400% of
the RDA!!! Manganese is what I like to
refer to as the ‘love mineral’ because it helps to bring those feelings out in
people by regulating the sex hormones.
Manganese also influences cartilage and joint repair and maintainance,
carbohydrate metabolism and plays a role in blood sugar. So it makes sense to me that saffron has been
found useful for those things.
According to Michael Tierra
(author of Planetary Herbology, The Way of Herbs, etc.) saffron acts as a
tonic when used with other herbs or teas, in medicated ghees and/or oils or
when mixed with milk and/or honey. He
also indicates that saffron can be lethal, toxic and is a narcotic in large
doses (over 12 grams). Jude’s Herbal
Home Remedies says that if you add a dash of saffron to your canary’s water
that they will sing more.
(Interesting….)
Of special note: Saffron is what gives chartreuse liqueur its
golden color. Venetian women made a
mixture of saffron and lemon for their hair so that the sunlight would turn
them blond (hence the term Venetian blond…).
During the Middle Ages it was mixed with egg whites by monks to
illuminate scripts.
WebMD states that if one has a
heart condition, is taking blood pressure meds, is pregnant and/or nursing or
has allergies to the lollium (grass/bluegrass), Olea (Olive) or Salsola
(amaranth) plant families that they should avoid taking saffron. It also says that if one has bipolar disorder
that this spice should be avoided as it may trigger mania. Taking high amounts can cause vomiting,
dizziness, yellowing of the skin, mucus membranes and eyes, bleeding from the lips,
eyelids and nose, numbness and more.
Doses of 12-20 grams can cause death.
As always, consult a qualified physician before starting an herbal
product and/or regimen.
As is customary with my posts I am leaving you with some links. Enjoy! Stay strong and healthy!
https://www.amazon.com/Saffron-Essential-Oil-Crocus-sativus/dp/B00T80Z6DY/ref=sr_1_5_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1528407541&sr=8-5&keywords=saffron+oil&dpID=41LvvWqtI-L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch (remember that essential oils should be diluted with a carrier BEFORE applying)
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