Saturday, 29 May 2021

SAFFRON : The Royal spice





Saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world. It consists of rich gold or yellowish red stigmas of the flower of C.sativus. 75000 saffron blossoms are needed to produce a gram of saffron spice. The cultivation of saffron is a traditional art. It involves a large amount of labour. It's annual production is around sixteen thousand kilograms in India. The state of Jammu and Kashmir tops the list of the saffron growing states in India. It has one of the unique and delicate flavours which cannot be compared with any other spice.


Saffron is an integral part of Indian cuisine, adding taste and colour to rice , pulao , kheer , laddoos , milk , halwa , sweets, lamb , etc.


Saffron is a natural medicine and a cosmetic . It has been used since classical times. It's high cost limits its uses. Saffron contains a glycoside, crocin , which is its chief colouring principle. The flavour and spice value are due to the volatile and fixed oils.


It may be an important disease fighting spice. Contains crocetin and carotenoids.


It may fight -


Asthma , cough , whooping cough , fever , melancholia, and works as an expectorant.


It can be a treatment for depression and insomnia.


It may be the treatment for Alzheimer's disease.


It may be a treatment for ischaemic heart disease , atherosclerosis and cancer.


It may help to ease flatulence and heartburn , enlargement of liver and spleen.


In Ayurvedic medicine , it is used to heal arthritis, impotence and infertility.


It may ease with premenstrual syndrome and menstrual cramps.


It is used as an aphrodisiac.


It is an expensive spice , it has to be used in small amounts. Using it in large doses is harmful and may interfere with health.



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