Saffron

Saffron  is a spice derived from the flower  most commonly known as the saffron crocus.

The saffron crocus is native to the Mediterranean and Western Asia.Iran now accounts for approximately 90 per cent of the world production of saffron.  It is the most expensive spice in the world by weight, ten times more costly than vanilla. The reason saffron is so expensive  is that its production is extremely labor intensive, each flower’s stigmas need to be collected by hand and there are only a few per flower. It takes 80,000 crocus flowers to make only 500 grams of saffron. Despite its cost, many herbalists and naturalists consider saffron’s health benefits to be worth it.

Scientists believe that saffron might be useful in the treatment and management of age related mental impairment.  Saffron promotes learning, memory retention, and recall capacity this could help ward off  muscular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. It also improves circulation of blood.

Some of the best clinical effects of saffron on human disease have been observed in the treatment of mild to moderate depression, asthma, atherosclerosis, PMS, and erectile dysfunction.  Saffron’s benefits extend to even treating cancer and helping to lower bad cholesterol levels.Research indicates that a few compounds in saffron do promote anti-cancer activity.

It also helps relieve stomach aches and kidney stones.  improves circulation to the digestive system. While coating the membranes of the stomach and colon, saffron gently aids in soothing symptoms of  intestinal acidity, colic, relieve stomach aches and kidney stones.

Saffron can also induce  you into a sound sleep .

Great ways to eat saffron would in a saffron rice or paella.