Saffron

Saffron is a plant. The dried stigmas (thread-like parts of the flower) are used to make saffron spice. It can take 75,000 saffron blossoms to produce a single pound of saffron spice. Are you looking for health benefits of kesar? If yes, then you have come to the right place. But, first let's learn some important facts about this wonder spice. Saffron is a small, bulbous, perennial spice, a member of the lily family. To produce saffron, the stigmas [the part of the flower, which catches pollen] must be painstakingly handpicked, cut from the white style and then carefully laid on a sieve and cured over heat to deepen the flavor- a process so labor intensive that saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Currently saffron is commercially produced in Iran, Greece, Morocco, Spain, Kashmir and Italy. Iran is the most important producer of saffron both, in terms of volume and quality, and Spain being the largest importer of the spice. Saffron is a labour intensive crop, which makes it so expensive. It has three delicate crimson stigmas in the centre, which are hand-picked, placed on a riddle, and cured over heat to amplify its flavour. Apart from being the most expensive spice, there are many benefits of saffron, which makes it even more special. Saffron is used for asthma, cough, sore throat, whooping cough (pertussis), and to loosen phlegm (as an expectorant). It is also used for sleep problems (insomnia), cancer, "hardening of the arteries" (atherosclerosis), vomiting, intestinal gas (flatulence), depression, anxiety, improved memory, Alzheimer's disease, spitting up blood (hemoptysis), pain associated with giving birth, heartburn, exercise performance and recovery, a skin disease called psoriasis, and dry skin. menstrual cramps and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Men use it to prevent early orgasm (premature ejaculation) and infertility. Saffron is also used to induce sweating, to increase interest in sex (as an aphrodisiac), and to improve blood sugar levels in patients taking medication for schizophrenia. Some people apply saffron directly to the scalp for baldness (alopecia). In foods, saffron is used as a spice, yellow food coloring, and as a flavoring agent. In manufacturing, saffron extracts are used as fragrance in perfumes and as a dye for cloth.