Saffron: Culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic uses of this prized spice.

In addition to its nutritional benefits, saffron has many therapeutic properties. In this article, let us learn about the most important uses and benefits of saffron.


Saffron is a distinctive spice that has a pleasant flavor and aroma in addition to its attractive color. It also contains many vital compounds that play an effective role in fighting many diseases.

In what follows, we will talk about the benefits and harms of saffron in detail:

Uses of saffron
Saffron has many uses, including medicinal and non-medicinal, and below we mention the most famous of them:

1. Medicinal uses of saffron
Saffron is one of the medicinal plants used in folk medicine since ancient times to treat some health disorders.

Despite the lack of scientific evidence that supports these uses, it is still used to treat many health problems, and in the following we mention some of them:

Expectorant.
Painkiller.
asthma.
Cough.
Whooping cough.
Heartburn.
Flatulence and intestinal gas.
Insomnia.
Glaucoma.
Psoriasis.
Arteriosclerosis.
Hereditary baldness.
Preventing premature ejaculation and infertility in men.


2. Other uses of saffron
Non-medicinal uses of saffron include:

Saffron is used in preparing delicious meals as a flavoring and coloring for foods, as it has an attractive yellow color.
It is used in preparing some drinks, and in some Arab countries a little saffron is added to Arabic coffee as it gives it a delicious flavor and aroma.
Saffron extract is used in perfumery.
It is used as a colored dye for clothes.
What are the benefits and harms of saffron?
Saffron is extracted from the stigmas and stems of the iris saffron flower (Crocus sativus). These parts are collected manually and dried thermally. For this reason, saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world.

In addition to the uses of saffron, it is one of the medicinal plants that contains many chemical compounds that have therapeutic effectiveness, including antioxidants. They include the following:

Safranal.
Crocin.
Picrocrocin.
Crocetin.
Zeaxanthin.
Despite saffron's various medicinal properties, it may cause side effects that range in severity from minor to life-threatening, especially if consumed in large quantities.

In general, the benefits and harms of saffron are summarized as follows:

1. Benefits of saffron
The health benefits of saffron include the following:

She explains that saffron has antioxidant properties, and these properties can help protect people from heart disease and cancer.
It was found that taking 30 milligrams of saffron may contribute to alleviating the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, in addition to its ability to relieve menstrual pain.
She explains that saffron improves the symptoms of some nervous system disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, as it has been found to reduce inflammatory reactions that increase brain cell damage, in addition to helping to stimulate memory.
Saffron has been shown to have the ability to suppress appetite, in addition to its effective role in weight loss.
It has been found that it contributes to raising the level of dopamine in the brain, which is one of the necessary neurotransmitters in the brain, which may contribute to improving mood, and accordingly it can help relieve symptoms of depression.
It has been found that saffron has the ability to enhance sexual desire for both sexes, in addition to its positive effect in improving symptoms of impotence in men.
2. Harmful effects of saffron
The harms of saffron are summarized as follows:

Saffron side effects
Eating saffron in small amounts in food is relatively safe. However, it may cause some side effects, especially if used as a medicine for a long period of time (i.e., more than approximately 6 months). These effects include the following:

Allergic reactions in some people.
Change in appetite.
Dry mouth.
Vomiting or nausea.
Diarrhea or constipation.
Sweating.
Hot flashes.
Headache.
Dizziness.
Anxiety.
bad mood.
Sleepiness.
Saffron poisoning
Eating large amounts of saffron, more than 5 grams per day, may cause a condition called saffron poisoning, which leads to the following symptoms:

Vomiting.
Diarrhea mixed with blood.
Bleeding of the eyelids, nose and lips.
Yellowing of the face and eyes.
Feeling numb.
Miscarriage in some pregnant women.
Consumption of more than 12 grams of saffron may lead to death.

Warnings of using saffron
After discussing the information related to the benefits of saffron, the uses of saffron, and its harms, here are the most important warnings related to the use of saffron.

In general, it is recommended not to use saffron in the following cases:

Breastfeeding, due to the lack of sufficient evidence about its safety when used during breastfeeding.
Pregnancy: It has been found that saffron may cause uterine contractions, which may lead to miscarriage.
People with low blood pressure; This is because it has the ability to lower blood pressure when consumed in large quantities.
People who suffer from heart disease, as it has been found that large amounts of saffron can negatively affect the regulation of the heartbeat.
People who suffer from bipolar disorder, due to its effects on mood, saffron can exacerbate the condition of these people.
People who suffer from allergic reactions to saffron or one of the following plants:
Olive.
Rutha plant.
Perennial tares.
People who take some types of medications used to treat high blood pressure, some of which are as follows:
Amlodipine.
Enalapril.
Captopril.
Hydrochlorothiazide

Source

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