From better sleep to boosting libido, the well-known spice saffron has a wealth of health benefits to help you get through this season and beyond.
If you’ve ever enjoyed food infused with the delicate floral aroma of saffron, then you’re already familiar with this subtly sweet spice.
Saffron has long been a staple of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. But did you know that this aromatic, brightly colored spice also has many health benefits?
Known as the most expensive spice in the world, the saffron plant (crocus sativus), which grows mainly in Iran, Spain, France, Italy and India, has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries.
The latest research shows that it can help improve mood, relieve depression, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and help you sleep better.
The crocus flower has lilac petals with crimson spots, or “threads” (which catch pollen). These are the parts used to produce the spice. The flowers can only be picked by hand for three weeks during the fall.
Saffron is a versatile spice that can also help support your health this winter
The spots are then gently extracted and dried in the sun. It takes 1000 flowers to produce 5 grams of saffron. As a result, saffron is also known as “red gold”, due to its high cost.
“As well as a culinary delicacy, saffron is a versatile spice that can also help support your health this winter, especially in terms of mood, fatigue and overall emotional balance,” says Rob Hobson, Consultant Nutritionist at Healthspan.
“Saffron contains several bioactive compounds, including crocin and safranal, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.”
Studies show that these compounds can help protect your body from oxidative stress that can lead to health problems.
Health benefit #1 Natural Mood Booster
Saffron is often called the “sunny spice,” partly because of its vibrant color, but also because of its beneficial effect on mood.
A recent meta-analysis (Planta Medica, 2019) that reviewed nine clinical trials found that taking a 30 mg saffron supplement daily for 12 weeks reduced the severity of mild to moderate depression.
It was shown to be significantly more effective than a placebo and just as good as antidepressants.
In another study (Journal of Affective Disorders, 2018) that looked at depression and anxiety, it was found that taking 30 mg of saffron daily was as effective as the antidepressants fluoxetine, imipramine and citalopram.
Try: Healthspan Yolk£15.95 for 60 capsules. It also contains niacin (B3) and vitamin B6 (to help reduce tiredness and fatigue that can accompany a bad mood).
READ MORE: 6 Healthy Spices With Proven Benefits For The Body
Health bonus #2 Lowers blood pressure
High blood pressure can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack and kidney failure. Therefore, keeping blood pressure at a healthy level is important.
You can do this through exercise, healthy eating, weight loss and stress reduction, but tTaking saffron supplements may also help.
Anti-inflammatory, saffron is also high in antioxidants, including crocin, picrocrocin, crocetin and safranal. These protect the body from oxidative stress that can lead to cell damage and disease, including hypertension.
Saffron is anti-inflammatory, it is also rich in antioxidants
In a recent meta-analysis (Nutrients, 2021), involving 249 men and women, it was shown that saffron supplements may help reduce high blood pressure.
Participants (in eight studies), all of whom had high blood pressure, received between 15 – 1000 mg of saffron, for 1 to 12 weeks. The review showed that daily saffron supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (-0.65 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (1.23 mmHg).
To monitor your blood pressure – try: Omron Comfort blood pressure monitor with cuff, £60.
Health bonus #3 Enhances emotional well-being
Are you prone to anxiety, stress and bad moods? If so, taking saffron supplements may help boost your emotional well-being, according to a new study (Frontiers in Nutrition, 2020).
The study showed that when 56 healthy men and women (ages 18 – 54) took 30 mg of saffron extract daily for eight weeks, they reported reduced depression scores and improved social relationships.
These results suggest that saffron extract appears to improve subclinical depressive symptoms and resilience to stress (which can cause psychiatric disorders) in healthy subjects.
Try: Viridian Saffron, £20.15 for 30 (30mg) capsules. It is made using hand-picked saffron from Iran, in a base of alfalfa, spirulina and blueberry without artificial ingredients.
READ MORE: Healing with herbal teas – a nutritionist’s guide
Health bonus #4 Better sleep
If you suffer from insomnia or other sleep problems, taking saffron can help. A study (Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2020) showed that when 55 healthy adults (ages 18 – 70) with poor sleep were given saffron supplements 14 mg twice daily for 28 days, they experienced an improvement in sleep quality. .
Most of the changes occurred in the first seven days and there were no side effects (which can occur with medication).
A more recent meta-analysis (Sleep Medicine, 2022) also showed that saffron supplementation improved sleep quality.
Try: Saffron tea (before bed), Azafranda tea, £9.89 for 25 tea bags.
Health benefit #5 Enhances libido
It’s normal for sex drive to fluctuate from time to time. But, what do you do if low libido seems to be an ongoing problem?
Latest research shows that saffron may be helpful for sexual dysfunction in both men and women.
A recent study (Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 2022) showed that when a group of women, aged 18 to 55, who suffered from severe female sexual dysfunction, such as problems with desire, arousal and orgasm, took 15 mg saffron capsules two times a day. , for six weeks, showed a significant increase in desire, lubrication and sexual satisfaction, compared to those who received a placebo.
Saffron supplementation has a beneficial effect on erectile dysfunction
A previous meta-analysis (Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 2019) found that saffron had a significant positive effect on sexual dysfunction in both men and women.
Another meta-analysis (Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, 2018) showed that saffron supplementation has a beneficial effect on erectile dysfunction and sexual desire in men.
READ MORE: 17 Herbs to Help Your Health
Health Benefits #6 Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Want to keep your cholesterol levels under control? A new review, published in The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2022, shows that saffron can reduce levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol by 39% to 50%, in just three weeks.
The review analyzed six studies, in animals (rodents) that were given 40 mg of saffron per kilogram of body weight daily. The results found that saffron extract is nearly as effective at lowering cholesterol levels as standard treatments, such as orlistat and metformin.
In a previous meta-analysis that looked at 6 studies involving 291 adults, the results showed a significant reduction in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
There was also a significant increase in levels of “good” HDL cholesterol after saffron supplementation.
Try: Boots Pharmaceuticals Cholesterol Home Test Kit, £13.50.
Health Bonus #7 Protects your vision
The antioxidants in saffron may help protect your vision and help slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (loss of central vision). These are the findings of a recent study (Italian Journal of Medicine, 2017).
The study divided 54 participants (men and women) with dry age-related macular degeneration into two groups. One group received 50 grams of saffron daily for three months. Measurements were taken before and after the test.
those who took saffron showed a significant improvement in vision
The results showed that after three months, those who received saffron showed a significant improvement in vision (being able to distinguish better shapes, details and contours), compared to the control group.
This suggests that short-term saffron intake may slow the progression of dry ARMD and help improve vision.
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