Learn more about the red gold!!!There are different questions about this red gold, such as what is saffron? Saffron History, Saffron Forms in the Market, Saffron Price, Saffron Nutrients, Saffron benefits, Saffron in Medicinal, Saffron in food, desserts and drinks recipes, Saffron Uses, Saffron Road.
What’s the Saffron?
Saffron is a plant that is harvested from the fall-flowering plant. It’s received from the flower of Crocus Linnaeus, known as the Saffron. The saffron plant is a member of the Iris or lridaceae family. Saffron grows to 20–30 cm and blooms to four flowers. The Flowers are in six beautiful purple petals which in some varieties are in rose color. Each flower of saffron has three red color stigmas (Threads) and a pistil. The dried threads (red – gold) are used usually medicinally to reduce fevers, cramps and enlarged livers, and to calm nerves as well as used mainly in various foods as a seasoning and coloring agent. The saffron used two forms saffron dried Threads and saffron powder.
Saffron History
The saffron is considered one of the world’s most expensive spices. This spice has readable and funny history for us which we are mention briefly for you:
The word saffron derives from the Arab word zafaran. Researchers have shown through historic documents that saffron has its origin in the Zargos mountain range in Iran (over 4000 years), and then progress to hearts worldwide. Of course some researchers believe the saffron first cultivated in Greece then exported to the worldwide so we can’t talk or discus surely about this matter.
In the time, Iran is ensign of the pure and natural saffron cultivation in the worldwide. Iran cultivates more than %90 of the world production of saffron every year.
Saffron Forms in the Market
Saffron thread
Saffron Threads are dried stigmas of saffron. Each flower of saffron has three red color stigmas that after harvesting are collected and dried to be used mainly as a natural flavoring & coloring & aromatic in varieties of our foods, drinks, desserts, pastries, and beverages, pharmaceutical especially in family celebrations. Question, How to select Dried threads (whole stigmas)? There are different items that we should attend them such as slight moistness, elasticity but you can get more information in here.
Saffron powder
Saffron powder is one of the most productions of saffron and use more for restaurants, pastries, factories and etc. This (Much attention) is due to various reasons such as low price, high color power, reduce transport costs and etc. But you should attend to this matter that saffron powder has lower aroma than saffron threads and also is more prone to adulteration, with turmeric, paprika, and other powders used as diluting fillers.
In the recent years, the other production of saffron product and export to the international markets. These productions are such as Saffron Pill, Saffron Spray and etc. We will post the articles about productions of saffron soon.
Saffron Price
This matter is very important for the saffron consumption why saffron price with other spices is expensive?
We posted this matter completely in the different articles. But we like to survey more in this matter of course briefly:
There are different reasons why saffron is so. Here is a list of reasons:
- Type of Saffron: Saffron threads are varieties according to the saffron threads appearance, having the high color power or aroma. If you select the all red threads you should pay more money. Only for this reason that the saffron with the red threads has the more aroma and color power than the orangeish red Poushali or the konge saffron which is yellow.
- Quality: Saffron with every type should be pure and natural. If you could buy this saffron form so you select or cache the valuable production because of high frauds by fraudulent sellers. So we can’t only attend to the saffron thread appearance.
- The Packing: We all know that saffron is very sensitive and must protect it from air and light so all of the suppliers and sellers pay much attention to this item and packaged in beautiful and gorgeous designs and of course safe and health.
- Saffron Grade: The price of saffron also depends upon its grade and the saffron grade is determined by the laboratory analysis of a sample of the saffron which has the absorbance values measured at 440 nanometers (nm), 310nm and 257nm.
- Heath and Safe: This matter is in the subset of saffron quality but we instead it because of more attention. The saffron dried threads or saffron powder or other production should control according on international quality control organizations from harvest raw materials to clean, sort, pack, detect metal, fumigate vacuum, inspect and load in containers if you would like to supply pure and natural saffron.
- Origin of the saffron: Origin of saffron is in Iran. More than %90 of world production of saffron with the highest or finest of quality comes from Iran every year. Then other countries such as Spain, India, United state Arab, Afghanistan, Moroccan buy saffron and mix them with lower grades of saffron then pack them in beautiful designs. After that sell as Moroccan saffron, Spanish saffron, Kashmir saffron and etc. While they cultivate less than tone. This is an undeniable fact. In the time Iran try to sell the saffron straightly to the saffron consumption in the worldwide and attend more to quality, packing, standards and etc. In the result we can supply saffron with the responsible price if we delete the brokers.
- The expense: We should pay high costs if we require one kilogram of saffron dry threads. These expenses are such as harvest or pick 110,000–170,000 saffron flowers or be handy in all the process of cultivation, harvest, sort, pack and etc. So absolutely the saffron price is expensive without attention to color, quality, packing and etc.
Saffron Benefits
Saffron has used more for food consumption so we will prefer to search about medicinal benefits. This valid spice is rich source of high Nutrients. Maybe it is funny for you that saffron is good source of minerals, vitamins, Fatty acids and even protein.
Note:
- You should note to this matter that all articles or information mention in this website according to pure and natural saffron that has the international standards or the national standards. We never follow impure and unnatural saffron.
- We mention nutritive value per 100 g of pure and natural saffron so it is not important that your saffron remove or enter of which country (Persian Saffron, Spanish Saffron, Indian Saffron and etc.). This matter isn’t important. Just it must be pure and natural with suitable packing of valid company.
We try to collect the suitable chart of saffron Nutrients for you in here.
The saffron nutritive is attractive for me when I pay much attention to this chart. Then we can tell surely that saffron can help and raise our body immune system against diseases. This is really good result for saffron consumption.
Now we are going to mention some medicinal benefits of each nutrient into saffron for you. In fact how the saffron nutrients can help us against diseases. But you never stop with this matter and search more on the Internet network.
The saffron nutrients are including:
Saffron Principle
Saffron Protein: The spices can be a good source of protein. Studies show protein works as a building block for healthy skin, hair, bones, and heart in our body. Protein also helps build and repair muscle tissue. Pineapple’s Protein (11.43 g per 100 g) is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to build and repair tissues. You also use protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.
Saffron Vitamins
Saffron Vitamin C: Saffron Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can:
The body cells protection as the damaging effects of free radicals
Be important for the formation of collagen, cartilage, blood vessels, and muscles
Prevent conditions such as colon cancer, atherosclerosis, and diabetic heart disease.
Pure and natural Saffron vitamin C (80 mg per 100 g) has good and excellent function in the immune system. It is a powerful antioxidant which protects our bodies from stress, cancer types, viruses that cause cough and colds. Also helps to collagen, cartilage, blood vessels, and muscles.
Saffron Vitamin B: The Saffron contains smaller amounts of vitamin B but there are different kinds of vitamin B into the saffron. These vitamins help the process your body uses to get or make energy from the food you eat. They also help form red blood cells. They are including:
Saffron Vitamin B1/thiamine – 0.115 mg: This vitamin is important in the production of energy. It helps the body cells convert carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for the functioning of the heart, muscles, and nervous system.
Learn: Our daily requirement is 1.2 mg for adult males and 1.1 mg for women and also Children need 6 to 9 mg of B1/thiamine per day.
Saffron Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – 0.267 mg: Vitamin B2 is important for body growth, reproduction and red cell production. It also helps in releasing energy from carbohydrates.
Learn: Our daily requirement is 1.3 mg for adult males and 1.1 mg for women and – 1.5 mg if pregnant/lactating. Children need 6 to 9 mg of B2/riboflavin per day.
Saffron Vitamin B3 (Niacin) – 1.460 mg: Niacin helps in the functioning of the digestive system, skin, and nerves. It is also important for the conversion of food to energy.
Learn: Our daily requirement is 16 mg for adult males and 14 mg for women and 17-18 mg if pregnant/lactating. Children need 9 – 16 mg of niacin per day.
Saffron Vitamin B6 /pyridoxine – 1.010 mg: B6 plays a role in the creation of antibodies in the immune system. It helps maintain normal nerve function and acts in the formation of red blood cells. It is also required for the chemical reactions of proteins. The higher the protein intake, the more need there is for vitamin B6.
Learn: Our daily requirement is 1.3 to 1.7 mg for adults – 2 mg for women who are pregnant or lactating. Children need between 0.6 to 1.3 mg B6 per day.
Vitamin B9 (Folate) – 1 mcg: Folate and folic acid are both forms of B9. Folate occurs naturally in fresh foods, but folic acid found in supplements. Your body needs folate to produce red blood cells, as well as components of the nervous system. It helps in the formation and creation of DNA and maintaining normal brain function. It has also been proven to reduce the risk for an NTD-affected (neural tube defect) pregnancy by 50 to 70 percent. Folic acid is vital for proper cell growth and development of the embryo. That is why it is important for a woman to have enough folate/folic acid in her body both before and during pregnancy.
Learn: Our daily requirement is 400 mcg for most adults – pregnant women 600 mcg and breastfeeding women should get at least 500 mcg. Children need between 150 to 300 mcg per day.
Saffron Minerals
Saffron Calcium: Saffron is good source of calcium (111 mg per 100 g). Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse conduction.This is a very well-known fact that the calcium is very essential for the human body, and is also very important for the developments of the overall body. The bad thing is that most commonly thing is that our diet has not got much levels of the calcium, well this is a bad things but the good things is that we can simply use the calcium and take it from the healthy fruits that have got high levels of the calcium in it. The healthy way to have the use of the calcium is to simply take their use from the help of natural fruits and foods.Is there calcium source in the spice especially Saffron? This question is important for most of people especially for vegans or those have a food diet. This mineral is necessary for the growth and maintenance of strong teeth and bones, nerve signaling, muscle contraction, and secretion of certain hormones and enzymes. A deficiency in calcium can lead to numbness in fingers and toes, muscle cramps, convulsions, lethargy, loss of appetite, and abnormal heart rhythm. Some spices are moderate source of calcium including pure and natural saffron.
Saffron Magnesium: Magnesium (264 mg per 100 g) makes the muscles in your heart and blood vessels relax, which lowers blood pressure. It may also help lower levels of triglycerides. Magnesium is essential for bone growth.
Saffron Manganese: Manganese (28.4 mg per 100 g) is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme,superoxide dismutase. Saffron Magnesium is one essential mineral that has important role in the body. This mineral supports the function of every organ in the body, helps the body digest food and extract energy. It supports bone health, helps with muscle contraction, and heart health and etc.
Saffron Copper: Copper (0.3 mg per 100 g) is required for the production of red blood cells. Copper is a chemical element that has a lot of benefits for us including this nutrient is essential for healthy blood, bones and brains. Because copper is needed in the production of hemoglobin, a deficiency can cause symptoms similar to anemia, such as fatigue. Copper deficiency is often coupled with low iron levels, which can lead to osteoporosis, slowed growth, loss of hair pigmentation and problems metabolizing cholesterol. Also its high consumption can cause the problems for us including children who get too much copper in their diet might exhibit hyperactivity. The saffron is the suitable sources of copper for us.
Saffron Iron : Saffron is an suitable source of iron, carry 11.1 mg/100 g. Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
Iron is one of the most ingredients that keep the body immune. This mineral provides hemoglobin or red blood cells that it’s caused the red blood.
Saffron Phosphorus: In combination with calcium, phosphorus is necessary for the formation of bones and teeth and of the nerve cells. Saffron Phosphorus (252 mg per 100 g) is second to calcium in abundance in the body. It is very widely distributed in both plant and animal foods so it is unlikely that deficiency would be a problem.The health benefits of phosphorous include healthy bone formation, improved digestion, regulated excretion, protein formation, hormonal balance, improved energy extraction, cellular repair, optimized chemical reactions, and proper nutrient utilization. The health benefits of phosphorous make it an important constituent of any diet.
Saffron Selenium: Saffron Selenium (5.6 mg per 100 g) is a naturally-occurring non-metallic trace element. The human body contains about 13 to 20 milligram of selenium. It is known to play a role in certain vital human functions (include strengthening of the immune system and activation of antioxidant enzymes).Our body needs only a small amount of selenium. It must be noted that selenium can be toxic, if consumed in large doses. On the other hand, low selenium levels in the body are linked to poor immune function. Selenium is a part of several enzymes necessary for the body. Generally, selenium functions as an antioxidant that works in conjunction with vitamin E. The saffron contains smaller amounts of Selenium.
Saffron Zinc: Saffron Zinc(1.1 mg per 100 g) is important in a number of key activities, ranging from protein and carbohydrate metabolism to the immune system, wound healing, growth and vision.
Saffron Electrolytes
Saffron Potassium: Potassium regulates the electrical impulses that maintain a steady heartbeat. It also counterbalances the effect of sodium in your diet by lowering blood pressure. Potassium is a type of Ionic Salt which is naturally found dissolved in sea water and as part of the mineral content of fruits and vegetables or spices. We think that it has important role in balancing out levels of blood pressure and regulating them to more standard level. Also potassium helps your muscles contract and your nerves function normally.
In the end of this text, I will post the articles about saffron and the body immune system that we pay more attention onto Saffron role in the body immune system against diseases such as Saffron &During Pregnancy, Saffron & Cancer, Saffron & Weight loss and etc.
Saffron Fatty acids
Saffron Omega 3-6: Fatty acids are one of essential elements for our body. They are necessary substrates in animal metabolism and cannot create inside our body so we must be obtained from food. Iranian saffron has two essential fatty acids, Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important in the normal functioning of all tissues of the body. They could lower the risk for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease and depression. The saffron contains smaller amounts of fatty acids. It’s about 5.8 g.
Saffron Uses
Saffron in Medicinal
Saffron & Better Sleep: saffron consumption improves sleep problems.
High Energy Production: Pure and natural saffron is good source for the energy recovery again and again especially when you are tired. You can try it through drinking a cup of saffron syrup or saffron tea.
Saffron & Weight gain or Weight loss: Pure and natural saffron is able to reduce your weight and also raise your weight. It is not joke but it is a fact. Saffron can increase our appetite and reduce of appetite. In fact it is a magic role for us. We explained this matter completely in here.
Saffron & Skin: Saffron can improve your radiant skin. There are varieties ways that we will reach to this purpose but one of the easiest ways that you can do it in the home as follow: Some saffron (2-3 thread or1 tsp of saffron powder) mix with some milk (3 tsp) and sandalwood powder (1 tsp) to get the paste. Then put your material on your face and massage it for 15 minutes and after that washes your face with fresh water. It should be done once in week to have smooth and glow face.
Saffron & Relaxing: Pure and natural Saffron with per mark or logo has power of anti- stress and anti- Depression.
Saffron & Pregnancy: Saffron during pregnancy with milk is good for enhancing pelvic blood flow and reduces the occurrence of cramps, which is common during pregnancy. Drinking of saffron milk helps to stimulate the production of serotonin that control mood swings, tension, stress and depression among pregnant mother.
Saffron in Cooking
Pure and natural Saffron is expensive so most of us use it more in foods, drinks and desserts with low amount. Pure and Natural saffron has power coloring strength especially degree of its color be between 230 – 280.Also Saffron with this quality if it be saffron threads has high fragrance and aroma. These items are attractive for consumption especially chefs.
We can use saffron as a flavoring and coloring in all recipes of foods (saffron rice bike recipes, saffron meat barbecue recipe, saffron grilled chicken recipe, saffron stews bike recipe, and etc.), Drinks ( saffron teas recipe, saffron syrups recipe, saffron beverages recipe and etc.) and Desserts ( saffron cakes recipe, Saffron ice creams recipe, and etc.)
In the end of this text, we suggest you consumption of saffron in all of your foods, drinks and desserts as a good coloring with excellent aroma. Of course you should use it in low amount because of taste changing and have even harmful. Yes, harmful!!!! This is our opinion. Absolutely you miss your health if you use everything more of our daily requirement event it be full of benefits or nutrients.
The Saffron Road
Iran country is road saffron. If you follow pure and natural saffron with best quality and the most unique flavor, aroma and color we offer you stepping in the saffron road. Iran is source and origin of saffron with the best quality and reasonable price. In the time, Saffron in Iran control according on international quality control organizations from harvest raw materials to clean, sort, pack, detect metal, fumigate vacuum, inspect and load in containers. There are active firms or companies in Iran that work with best quality and packing.
Therefore, Welcome to Saffron road, this is a safe road and you could work with the main saffron manufacture straightly. We exported saffron straightly to America. You know that we are able to export our loading to everywhere.