Persian Saffron Benefits and Nutritional value

Ever since I was a child, I loved when the smell of Persian saffron would be scattered in the house. I remember that whenever we went to a party, this good aroma was wrapped in the host’s house. When the table was laid, the only thing that gave a beautiful color and glaze to the table was saffron rice with that beautiful color.

I remember that saffron tea was served at some parties. In short, it was saffron that gave the houses a special aroma and color.

Persian Saffron, also known as the golden spice, has given our food a special taste and color for years. Research has shown that this expensive spice can help improve the immune system and increase energy levels as an antioxidant. Stay with a meal cook to know the health benefits of saffron.

Persian Saffron is used in the preparation of Persain rock candy and all kinds of Iranian food, such as sholeh zard and zereshk polo ba morgh and even bastani sonnati.

What is saffron?

Saffron is a plant with the scientific name Crocus sativus belonging to the family of Asparagus and Lilies. It is known as a golden spice because of its yellow color and high price. For over 4 thousand years, saffron has been used to make food fragrant and tasty.

Today more than 90% of the world’s saffron is produced in Iran. Saffron has various chemical compounds that are the main factors of its taste, color, and properties.

You can also read:How to brew saffron with ice

How does Persian saffron grow?

Most plants are propagated through seeds but the saffron propagation factor is the saffron bulb. Planting saffron bulb was first taught to other countries through Iranians. After planting the saffron bulb in the soil, the purple flower of saffron is brought out from the soil through the tops of the bulb.

After flowering, you end up with a purple flower with 6 beautiful petals protecting 3 red stigmas. These three red stigmas are made of the same color material and prepared carefully.

Constituent elements of Persian saffron

• Crocin: is the coloring agent in saffron
• Picrocrocin: is responsible for the bitter taste of saffron
• Safranal: is the agent of saffron aroma
• Lycopene: these carotenoids are also present in tomato compounds
• Beta-carotenes: These carotenoids are also present in carrot compounds.
• Z-xanthin Picrocrocins: is an incomplete version of the carotenoid zeaxanthin produced through oxidative cleavage.

The most important Benefits of Persian saffron

Before we want to find out about the properties of saffron, it is good to tell you in the form of a list of what saffron is useful for:

• Antidepressant
• pain relief
• hair loss prevention
• Improve respiratory health
• Improve heart health
• Improve mental health
• Improve skin health
• Strengthening the digestive system
• Intelligence
• It is also effective for treating high blood pressure and blood sugar.
• Also, women who suffer from menstrual irregularities or have painful periods can recover by 
• Consuming saffron on time.
• Diabetes can be controlled and prevented by using this plant.
• Treatment of gout can be done with this flower.
• Saffron helps to improve the sex life of men.
• People who suffer from cold stomach and abdominal pain can get rid of this condition by consuming saffron.
• The body needs adjustment by consuming a lot of cold food, and saffron does this well.
• A cold may manifest itself with hives, which saffron helps to treat.
• Sleep disorders, urinary disorders, and memory disorders can be resolved with the help of this colorful and fragrant plant.
• With its warm and dry nature, this plant is the best detoxifier.
• There is a simple treatment for MS, and that is saffron treatment.
• It helps to improve metabolism and leads to increased metabolism and weight loss.

Preventing heart disease

The people of Mediterranean countries, where consuming saffron is common, have lower than normal cases of heart disease. This is likely due to saffron’s anti-inflammatory properties and cholesterol-lowering benefits. The presence of crocetin in saffron reduces the level of bad kinds of cholesterol in your blood, which indirectly lowers your chances of getting heart attacks. Saffron’s antioxidant content also provides added heart protection and can even increase your body’s antibacterial and antiviral activity.

sourced:www.healthline.com

How to consume saffron and its limitations

The most important thing about the consumption of saffron is the originality of saffron. If you intend to buy saffron, we recommend you getting the saffron you need from a reputable store specializing in saffron.

Along with all the advantages we have found from this flower know a little about its consumption limits so that you don’t get surprised by its excessive consumption.

• Saffron consumption should not be overdone because it can lead to poisoning and even death.
• Excessive consumption (above 50 mg) will increase body heat and affect some internal glands, such as the liver.
• The use of this substance is recommended for pregnant women with special conditions.
• Excessive consumption of this plant can cause miscarriage in the early months of pregnancy.

Keeping Persian saffron

Saffron should be kept away from light and humidity. Keep saffron in closed glass or metal containers. Note that saffron essential oil can evaporate, so close the lid of the saffron container; if the lid is left open, its medicinal effects and quality will decrease.

Uses of Persian saffron

Saffron gives food a special aroma and color. For this reason, saffron is used in food industries, such as sausage making; confectionery, such as preparing cake powders; and pharmaceuticals, such as antidepressants. In textiles, such as dyeing silk fabrics and in the production of beverages. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic are used as natural flavors in dairy industries and others.

Nutritional value of Persian saffron

A tablespoon of saffron has the following nutritional value:

• Carbohydrates 1.37 grams
• Fat 0.12 grams
• Protein 0.24 grams

vitamins:

• Vitamin C: 1.7 mg
• Vitamin B9: 0.002 micrograms
• Vitamin B6: 0.02 mg
• Vitamin B3: 0.03 mg
• Vitamin B2: 0.01 mg

minerals:

• Iron: 0.23 mg
• Magnesium: 6 mg
• Manganese: 0.6 mg
• Copper: 0.01 mg
• Phosphorus: 5 mg
• Potassium: 36 mg
• Kaempferol: 4.3 mg

Conclusion

Finally, Iranian saffron is an excellent spice and an important export for the whole world. This spice is called red gold because of its very important role in cooking, its excellent medicinal properties, and its very expensive price, both in Iran and abroad. America and the whole world have many fans.

FAQ for Persian saffron

1. What is Iranian saffron, and why is it so important in the world?

The saffron plant is the most expensive spice in the world, which is known as red gold, and it is very important because of the excellent flavor and color it gives to food and drinks.

2. Why is Iranian saffron considered the best authentic saffron in the world?

Iranian saffron has a unique aroma and taste due to the weather conditions and suitable soil in Iran. Also, the cultivation and harvesting of saffron by hand in these areas has led to its high quality.

3.How to distinguish Persian saffron?

Iranian saffron is usually recognized by signs such as color and taste. Red-orange color and sweet aroma are the characteristics of Iranian saffron. If you check the saffron flower strands more closely, you will realize that the original saffron strands are trumpet-shaped, which is considered one of the most important things to recognize the original saffron.

4. Does Persian saffron have health properties?

Iranian saffron has very therapeutic properties for the heart, depression, and increasing body energy.

5.Why is Persian saffron the most expensive spice in the world?

One of the reasons for the high price of Iranian saffron is that a small amount of saffron is obtained from a large number of saffron flowers, and the process of planting and harvesting is expensive and manual.

6. Is Persian saffron used in kitchens around the world?

Yes, Iranian saffron is famous all over the world, and almost all the cooks in the world know this pure spice.

7. Does the use of Iranian saffron in food improve its taste and aroma?

Yes, Iranian saffron gives excellent color and a unique taste to all kinds of Iranian food, rice, and drinks.

8. Why is Persian saffron also known as “red gold”?

Iranian saffron is called red gold due to its very high price and the most expensive spice in the world.