Saffron : Crocus sativus

• Saffron cook around the world

Before using your saffron for your small dishes, be aware that it should be used sparingly. Indeed a very large quantity of saffron flowers, up to 150 flowers, is necessary to obtain 1 gram of saffron (150,000 flowers for 1 kg of saffron)... therefore a precious spice!

As you might expect, saffron is widely used in Arab, Indian, European and Iranian cuisine in Central Asia. And for good reason! Saffron is a sublime flavour enhancer, it brings out the flavours of many foods while revealing its own unique aroma. A honeyed taste with a slight metallic nuance, saffron has always accompanied and accompanies many dishes, sweet or savoury, whether as a spice, colouring or condiment. In short, saffron is used to flavour and colour all dishes!

• Doses of saffron in your dishes

In cooking, saffron can be used in two forms: in powder or as stigmas. In a powder form, it is placed directly in the dishes. In its stigma form, a small operation will have to be performed by soaking the stigma, but we will see about that later.

When we talk about a saffron pistil, it corresponds to 3 stigmas, i.e. three filaments. Please refer to this page to know the basics about saffron.

Adding stigmas to a coffee

Here are some average doses to give you an idea of its use:

• Tea, coffee, lemonade: 1 or 2 pistils/person
• Sauce: 1 to 2 pistil/person
• Mussels, paella: 3 to 4 pistils/person
• Rice and pasta: 5 to 6 pistils per 250 g
• Desserts: 6 pistils/litre of milk
• Jam, compote: 15 pistils/kg of fruit

However, these doses are merely guidlines, it is up to you to try and adjust to your taste! However, avoid overdosing.

Infusing the saffron stigmas

To use the stigmas, they must first be infused in a liquid (water, liquid, alcohol...) for at least 30 minutes. Ideally the rule would be to do it for 12 hours (to prepare it the day before for even) so that the saffron has time to diffuse all of its aromas!

The other trick would be to grind the saffron stigmas in a mortar after placing a few pinches of salt to soften its molecular walls and release its active ingredients.

In a powder form, the saffron can then also be infused, its infusion time will then be much shorter: about 3 hours.

• The right mixtures

Saffron works wonders with seafood (scallops or langoustines). As for meat, saffron blends wonderfully with beef, veal, pork or chicken, but also rabbit and other guinea fowl.

But the royal agreement is of course with rice! Italians use it in Milanese risotto, saffron pumpkin risotto... and many others! The favourite dish for the Spanish will be paella.

It also goes perfectly with more ordinary dishes, such as pasta or mashed potatoes. A simple saffron tea is very popular in some eastern countries or in the tagine for Moroccans.

Saffron also delights all aubergines, peppers and tomatoes!

Milanese Risotto with saffron

Finally, saffron excels in desserts! Yes, saffron is definitely everywhere! You can use it to enhance your fruit compotes or creams (ice cream, caramel, crème brûlées ...). It is also associated with pastries and rice cakes. In China, wine is even flavoured with saffron!

Nutritional value of saffron

For a 100 grams serving of saffron, you will find:

• Protein: 11.4 g
• Fat: 5.8 g
• Carbohydrate: 65.4 g
• Water: 11.9 g
• Fibre: 3.9 g
• Alpha-linolenic acid LNA: 1.2 g

So a 100 grams of saffron corresponds to 310 kCal.

• Conservation of saffron

We advise you to keep your saffron (powdered or in its stigma form) in a closed jar where it can be kept in a dry and poorly lit place. Your saffron can, thus, be kept for years.

The healing power of saffron goes back to very ancient times. In ancient Greece, for example, saffron was already known for its many medicinal properties as early as the second millennium BC.

Our distant ancestors have often associated saffron with a mythical and mysterious plant offering magical and mystical virtues. It is sometimes even used as an offering to the deities. Discover the history of saffron.

Beliefs about saffron through civilizations

As mentioned above, the virtues of saffron are not new. Saffron is indeed mentioned for the first time in very old Chinese medicine writings, such as the important medical treatise "Bencao gangmu". Firstly appreciated as a perfume and deodorant, it was soon discovered to have therapeutic uses.

For the wealthiest Persian and Greek soldiers, it is said that they bathed in saffron baths after a battle to heal and relieve their wounds, especially in the time of Alexander the Great. He himself sprinkled his baths with saffron, thus increasing his self-confidence. Homer describes it as a medicine and a perfume

In Persia, saffron is used dissolved in water after hard work in the sun to wash sweaty bodies. It is also used in hot teas to fight melancholy.

In Egypt, it is said that the great Cleopatra used it as a romantic prelude...

As for the Romans, an encyclopedia called "De Medicina" states that saffron is an antidote to poison.

Ancestral Indian medicine also used saffron in various potions and remedies. Saffron was then a major medicinal element.

As you will have understood, in each region and civilization of the world where saffron is present, it is used for different therapeutic purposes. A 17th century German writer even went so far as to praise the virtues of saffron as a cure for all possible disorders: from a minor headache to the eradication of the plague! Probably a seller of this spice....

But what is really going on?

Today, however, many studies tend to demonstrate scientifically that saffron cures many ailments, validating in passing some millenary experiences of our lost civilizations.

The virtues of general saffron

Saffron is one of the so-called adaptogenic plants. That is to say, the elements of saffron will not act directly against the disease but will on the other hand considerably help the body to consolidate its defences and thus fight against the disease.

Known to bring "cheerfulness and wisdom", saffron and its ambient fragrance brings a joyful mood to people nearby and would therefore supposedly soothe melancholy. Saffron also helps to relieve the effects of benign diseases such as cough, headaches, minor fatigue, digestive problems...

If you infuse it for several days with other oils, saffron becomes intense enough to act as a powerful relaxant or sedative. Ingested orally, saffron stimulates your immune, nervous, respiratory... and reproductive system! It is well known that saffron is also an aphrodisiac!

A recent clinical study has even shown that saffron soothes babies during their dental flare-ups!

Be careful not to exceed the doses of saffron, however, as it would be difficult for the body to assimilate. However, recent clinical studies lead us to believe that saffron is not toxic at all, regardless of the dose. The little bad reaction of people who have ingested saffron is in fact due to the falsified use of saffron....

Thus be vigilant about the saffron you buy, favour trusted sellers or your own garden saffron! Powdered saffron may be subject to material additions, choose saffron in its stigma form instead.

Impressive saffron!

Saffron seems to fix everything! And you haven’t seen everything yet....

·       On cancer: A powerful antioxidant, a study published in the magazine "Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology" in 2012, exposes the anti-cancer effects of saffron, particularly on liver cancer. Indeed, the crocetin that is present in saffron would provide many repairing properties such as inhibiting the growth of carcinogenic cells by ordering apoptosis (programmed cell death) of carcinogenic cells, or strengthening our ability to buffer oxidative stress.

(Turmeric had already been recognized as an anti-cancer spice, it is now saffron’s turn).

·       On depression: Japan and Iran are conducting serious research on the antidepressant effects of saffron. These studies clearly indicate that infusions of saffron petals help to fight epilepsy and depression.

·       On memory: The crocin present in saffron, has recently been analyzed as being able to fight neurodegenerative disorders. The study in question shows that 30 mg of saffron ingested twice a day by a patient can effectively fight against early Alzheimer's disease. Saffron, thus, helps to keep in good shape the brain's potential and the proper functioning of information/memory absorption.

Not convinced by this miracle spice that is saffron? The best way to find out for sure is to test it yourself! To your garden gloves and picks!

Organic saffron for your health

Of course, we strongly recommend organic saffron for your medicinal uses. A saffron bulb guaranteed to be free of all phyto-sanitary products will be all the more healthy and effective by giving you natural saffron. And you're in luck, we sell it!