Saffron

Saffron is a plant which is used in many cultures and countries as a spice to add color and flavor to foods, desserts and beverages for over 3000 years. This great spice is one of the most expensive spices in the world. Today, more than 90% of the world’s saffron is produced in Iran.

Saffron contains vitamins B1, B2, and essential oils of plant-derived antioxidants therefore it has a lot of therapeutic and medicinal usages. Saffron is also used in the paint industry, pharmaceutical industry, and perfumery.

Following are the different types of saffron:

NEGIN

This type of saffron is very fragrant and has a great color and appearance. The stigmas of this saffron are unruffled and unbroken. Negin saffron is known as the best type of saffron in Iran. The appearance of stigmas is thicker than other types. Negin saffron has different types such as Negin, Super Negin and etc. Superangin saffron is the best and most expensive type of saffron and has a high coloring power therefore is usually used to export to other countries.

SARGOL

Sargol saffron, also called ALL RED, is actually what people have in minds as saffron. There is no yellow part or the root of saffron in Sargol saffron, and the stigmas are completely separated and clean. Also, this type of saffron has more crumbs and breaks compared to other types of saffron.

PUSHAL

In Pushal saffron, the style of saffron (white part) is separated from under the flower, so that the stigmas will have 2-3 mm of styles. There is some yellow or white at the end of the stigmas of the three branches of saffron. This type of saffron consists of two parts: stigma (red part) and Style (yellow part).

BUNCH

Bunch Saffron is a complete string that has the red and yellow parts of saffron together and this saffron consist of about 30% of yellow parts and 70% of the red parts. In Bunch saffron, saffron is intact and the stigmas of the three branches of saffron are not separated from the white part (style) of saffron.

A Powerful Antioxidant

Saffron is rich in plant compounds that act as antioxidants, such as crocin, crocetin, safranal, and kaempferol. Antioxidants help protect your cells against
oxidative stress.

May Improve Mood and Treat Depressive Symptoms

Saffron is nicknamed the “sunshine spice.”

That’s not just due to its distinct color, but also because it may help brighten your mood.

May Have Cancer-Fighting Properties

Saffron is high in antioxidants, which help neutralize harmful free radicals. Free radical damage has been linked to chronic diseases, such as cancer