What is Saffron

what is saffron

• List Of Information you will get
• what is saffron?
• saffron is obtained from which part of the plant?
• the best saffron in the world
• what is saffron used for & Saffron’s health benefits? 

what is saffron

Saffron is the dried stigma from the Crocus sativus flower. The name “saffron” derives from an Arabic word meaning “to become yellow” which refers to saffron’s use as a bright yellow dye. The Latin name “crocus” most likely stems from an ancient Sanskrit word for saffron. In different languages saffron is called: zafran (Arabic & Hebrew), za’afaran (Farsi), fan hong hua (Chinese Mandarin), safran (French, German), zaffarano (Italian), azafrán (Spanish), krokos (Greek), and kesar (Hindi), Keshar (Marathi)

Saffron is obtained from which part of the plan

Saffrons always obtain once in Year from their flower part, Saffron is three Golden Red colour Stigma, its looks like Thread, which is the Female part of the Flower & called the original Red Golden Saffron, the Yellow Colour part is the male part, the Purpal colour part is the petals of the flower

The best saffron in the world

Saffron cultivation in the Kashmir valley in India dates back to around 5000 BC,

The quality of saffron in Kashmir is the best in the world.

Kashmiri Saffron alone has a distinguishing feature of long stigmas with thick heads making it the “World’s Best Saffron”. The price of Kashmiri Saffron is fairly higher than Iranian Saffron, possibly due to the shorter style and stigma of Kashmiri saffron. The best saffron in the world is a matter of personal opinion and can vary based on factors such as taste, aroma, colour, and purity. However, some of the most highly regarded saffron-producing regions are India, Iran, Spain, and Italy. These countries have long traditions of producing high-quality saffron, and their saffron is often considered among the finest in the world due to factors such as ideal growing conditions, skilled farmers, and strict quality control measures. Ultimately, the best saffron for you will depend on your individual preferences and the specific application you have in mind.

Saffron, Red-colored, Female part, pungent stigmas (pollen-bearing structures) of the autumn Crocus, which are dried and used as a Spice to Flavors,

India is the only country that got GI -Geographical indication in the world due to Its Quality & process of Growing

GI sign is used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

India will get a competitive advantage overall so that farmers will get good prices

growers are hopeful that they will get a better price for their produce after the introduction of the GI tag to the saffron grown here.

GI certification of Kashmiri saffron will put an end to adulteration in the international market

The red stigmatic lobes of the Crocus sativus flower contain three main active compounds:

what is saffron used for & Saffron’s health benefits?

Quality & Benefits all depend on three important contain in dry saffron in percentages that is Crosin, Picrocrocins & Safranal

1. Crocins, which are saffron-coloured compounds (unusual water-soluble carotenoids due to their high glycosyl contents)

 2. Picrocrocins, which are the main substances responsible for saffron’s bitter taste

3. Safranal, which is the volatile oil responsible for the characteristic saffron aroma

Antidepressant and Antianxiety Effects

 The strongest evidence exists to support the efficacy of saffron for improving symptoms of mild to major depressive disorder (MDD). Saffron has been studied for mood and anxiety in over 20 human studies, including clinical studies of saffron and depression and anxiety

Crocin

Crocin is a unique antioxidant because it is a water-soluble carotenoid. Finley and Gao (2017) discuss the multifunctional protective activities of crocin in the brain and point to its promising role as a supplement or as a drug for the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-

 In a study of saffron’s effect on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Baziar et al. (2019) compared saffron to Ritalin (methylphenidate) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 54 children (ages 7-17 years) for six weeks. The doses used were similar, either 20 to 30 mg methylphenidate or 20 to 30 mg saffron extract. Symptoms were assessed using the Teacher and Parent Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) at baseline and at weeks three and six. The results were remarkably similar; that is, there was no difference between the effectiveness of the two formulations. This is a hugely interesting finding considering ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders with pa prevalence of 3-7% among school-age children, and its symptoms persist in 60% of adults. It is estimated that the incidence of ADHD in adults is 4%. In addition, 30% of children with ADHD do not respond to methylphenidate, and its side effects usually force patients to give up their therapy (Spencer et al., 1996). Although this study must be considered preliminary until more studies are conducted, it is nonetheless a significant advancement in ADHD research.

Diabetic and Metabolic Syndrome Effects

In a randomized, single‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial in patients with type II diabetes mellitus (n=208), saffron was tested against cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. These various herbal supplements showed significant beneficial effects on cholesterol, but not glycemic control, oxidative stress and inflammation (Azimi et al., 2014). In a different study, however, the saffron hydro-alcoholic extract was found to improve blood glucose control by decreasing fasting blood sugar in patients with type II diabetes mellitus (n=54) (Milajerdi et al., 2018). Recently, Jam et al. (2017) reported reduction of lipid levels in their study of the effect of crocin on depressive symptoms in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Cardiovascular Effects

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) covers numerous conditions, including myocardial infarction, heart failure and stroke. Inflammation plays an essential role in the atherosclerosis of CVDs. During the early stage of atherogenesis, inflammation in the innermost layer of the vessels induces a host of proinflammatory mediators, including cytokines and chemokines, as well as releasing adhesion molecules that cause “stickiness” of lipids, cells, debris and other minerals and forms a plaque

Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Effects

Saffron’s active components – crocetin, crocins and safranal – are mainly responsible for both the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which contribute to increased protection against a variety of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species as well as against proinflammatory cytokines. Numerous studies have confirmed that crocin and crocetin, the carotenoid constituents of saffron, showed high radical scavenging activities, followed by safranal. This is likely due to their ability to donate a single hydrogen atom to the free radicals.

Sexual Health

For centuries, saffron has been touted as an aphrodisiac. Studies examining the effects of saffron supplementation on sexual function have shown varied results. Modabbernia et al. (2012) found that four weeks of administration of saffron (30 mg/day) was effective in treating fluoxetine-related erectile dysfunction. The side effects of saffron were comparable to placebo, which is important because there can be significant and potentially serious side effects with drug treatments for sexual impairment caused by taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and some may even reverse SSRIs’ effect on mood. However, studies of sexual dysfunction from other causes did not show that saffron was beneficial; for example, compared to placebo in infertile men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratozzspermia (Safarinejad et al., 2011), and compared to sildenafil in men with erectile dysfunction (Safarinejad et al., 2010). are these saffron benefits for males? Please Comment