Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. Its characteristic features are noble aroma, spicy taste and dark red color. Since ancient times, saffron has been used as a means that gives energy to the body. Spice was an expensive and elite gift for important persons.

Clothes and shoes dyed with saffron paint were very prestigious. About what characteristics of a natural Indian spice, how it is used, how much it costs and when it is not recommended to use it, - further in the article.

Indian saffron

In household plots, you can often see decorative crocuses. AND produce spice only from seed saffron (Crocus sativus), which is a perennial tuberous bulbous herb. The name came from the Greek word "kroke" - a thread.

Saffron - from the Arabic "sepheran" - yellow, for the color of the column of pestle. The height of the crocus can reach from 10 to 30 cm. The diameter of the bulbs with scales reaches 3 cm. They are rooted with the help of fibrous roots. Crocus does not have a stem. From the bulb, from 1 to 3 flowers first appear.

Their color can be from light lilac to dark purple and from yellow to orange. After flowering, narrow linear leaves develop. Perianth is funnel-shaped with six petals.

There are three red-orange tubular stigmas on the filamentous column of the pestle, they are dried and used as a seasoning.

Seeds are in three-nested boxes, which are the fruits. Crocuses bloom for three days in March - April. There are saffron species blooming in autumn. The best period for picking flowers is three autumn months. The stigmas are prepared during the flowering of crocuses. The weather should be dry and sunny.

Saffron plantations bloom on areas of 4 thousand ha each for a month, massively bloom for one to two weeks. This duration of flowering fields is due to the fact that the flowers are not opened simultaneously, but in turn. This factor allows workers to harvest the entire crop in a short time. They tear open the flowers by hand, then pluck out three stigmas.

The collected material is dried using dryers for half an hour. Save products in wooden boxes. It is necessary to process 150 thousand crocus flowers to get 1 kg of seasoning. In 1 g of dried spices, there are 450-500 threads.

Nutrition value of 100 g of seasoning contains:

• calories 310;
• proteins 11 g;
• fats 6 g;
• carbohydrates 65 g.

Due to the consumption of a small amount of spice, it does not affect the total calorie content of the dish.

Did you know? A resident of Great Britain reached 150 years old by eating bread, butter and saffron spice.

The constituent components of stigmas are:

1. Cellulose.
2. Saturated Fatty Acids.
3. Vitamins: A, B2, B6, B9, B12, C, D.
4. Minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium.
5. Glycosides of crocin and pyrocrocin.

The threads contain tannins and anthocyanins, thanks to which they have an anti-inflammatory effect. The best quality is considered to be Indian saffron grown in the northern states of India: Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. In this region are engaged in cultivation Crocus sativus more than 2 thousand years.

The growing conditions in these areas are ideal for crocus. Kashmir seasoning is characterized by elongated threads of dark red color, with an intense smell. Stigmas are harvested whole, then dried under direct sunlight. Sorting occurs by immersion of the prepared material in water.

That part of the stigmas, which sank to the bottom, is the highest grade, and turned out to be on top - the lowest. There are three varieties of Indian spices: the name of the first - Shahisecond - Mograthird - Lachha.

High-quality threads instantly dye and aromatize water. Indian seasoning is produced in small quantities due to the difficulty of growing, so it is not often found on the market.

Indian stigmas are inferior in quality to threads grown in Spain. There are two varieties of Spanish seasoning.

More expensive - Coupe, it is made from the upper red parts of the threads, which are the most fragrant and have a saturated color, and the lower yellow ones are plucked with hands and are not used in the future. For variety Superior stigmas are harvested whole. Its production is more widespread. The Spaniards dry the stigmas in special ovens.

Iranian saffron ranks third in quality after Kashmiri and Spanish. More than 30 processing factories in Iran are known; the state receives good income from the export of this seasoning. The production of seasoning is done by the French, Italians, Greeks, Portuguese.

Did you know? In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan was banned from importing goods from Iran. As a result of the sanctions, Spain carried out an intermediary mission in the spice trade.

This profitable business is also distributed in Turkey, Pakistan, the People's Republic of China, Japan, the United States of America, New Zealand, Russia, Ukraine, and the countries of the Caucasus. 300 000 kg of saffron spice are produced per year in the world. Iranian Khorasan provinces provide 90% of the total crop.

Taste and smell

Thanks to the glycoside crocin, alpha and beta carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin, saffron seasoning has a noble dark red color. When dissolved in water, the spice turns it yellow-orange. Therefore, saffron is used as a natural dye of food, It belongs to the class - E164.

However, its use is limited by its high cost. Thanks to the pyrococin glycoside, saffron has a bitter taste, reminiscent of honey with a metallic hue. From saffron spice extract essential oil in an amount of 0.5-1.3%, its components are pinene, cineole, safronal, gum, rutin, quercetin, luteolin, hesperidin.

Flavonoids and bioflavonoids are antioxidants. As a result of hydrolysis of pyrocrocin glycoside, the formation of a chemical component, safronal, occurs. Thanks to this substance, essential oil has a strong pleasant floral-vanilla odor. To the touch, the spice seems oily.

Application methods

It is known that in ancient European, Egyptian, Asian culture, saffron stigmas dyed cotton, wool, linen and silk in yellow-brick color.

Persians used spice not only as a paint for fabrics, but also as a component of perfumes, medicines and bath liquids. To get rid of melancholy, the Persians laid out the threads on the bed, and also made tea from them. Spice was an indispensable tool in case of poisoning or measles.

Important! One gram of real saffron stains about 100 liters of water.

In the early Middle Ages, the Greeks mixed saffron powder with egg yolk and created illustrations in handwritten texts. Connecting the stigmas with protein, they made a golden varnish to paint the surface of the tin.

As a result of archaeological excavations in Manhattan, they found a green bottle with the inscription "Elixir of Youth", which has lain for a hundred years, in which the properties of the contents have been preserved. It was an alcohol tincture of saffron stigmas, aloe, white turmeric, rhubarb and gentian.

All world cuisines use saffron as a coloring and spice. Dye E164 gives products a golden color. It is added to bakery and confectionery, ice cream, desserts. In European countries saffron is used for coloring sausages, butter and some types of cheese.

Ayurveda advises the following recipe for "immortal tea": 5-6 peas of black pepper, 20 g of ginger, 5 saffron stigmas pour 200 ml of boiled water, leave for 60 minutes, and drink a teaspoon.

In the Middle East, saffron stigmas are used in fish dishes. Spices tint broths, sauces and soups, vegetable stews, cheeses, flavor liqueurs, tinctures. Culinary specialists of oriental cuisine add it to meat, pilaf.

This is a must for the famous Italian yellow risotto, Spanish paella, French potpourri, Marseille ear, Swedish Christmas buns, Hindu pastry and dairy products. Two stigmas season a cup of coffee or tea with milk.

Important! Use spice in small doses, for example, 5 stigmas per dish, prepared for five people, or half a teaspoon of cookie infusion.

Try making Kashmiri tea: To do this, pour a pinch of spice with four glasses of boiled water. To reveal the flavor of the seasoning, pour it with warm water in advance or prepare an alcohol tincture, then add the solution to the food.

Another method involves: frying stigmas in a frying pan without oil, grinding them into powder, which is poured with heated milk and left for half an hour. Then it is recommended to pour this diluted saffron into rice dishes, cookies, creams, mousses.

Spicy powder is not soaked, because it is more concentrated, so add it to food in small quantities. Seasoning saffron with desserts, muffins, pies, cakes, you give them a golden yellow color and a pleasant taste. Pharmacists prepare tincture with spice, eye drops, extracts. In eastern medicine, spice is a component of about 300 drugs.

Important! The permissible intake of saffron for one person is 1 g / year.

Seasoning stimulates the production of serotonin. The result of increasing the level of the hormone of joy is getting rid of pain and a bad mood. Thus, spice is a light psychotropic substance that is not addictive. Saffron stigmas are an aphrodisiac that enhances libido and male potency.

• Eating seasoning contributes to:
• digestion improvement;
• healing of external wounds, stimulating tissue repair;
• purification of lymph, blood and blood vessels, liver;
• strengthening the heart muscle;
• treatment of asthma, bronchitis;
• brain tissue growth, stimulation of cerebral circulation;
• grinding and removing stones from the kidneys and gall bladder as a result of using seasoning with honey;
• restoration of the activity of female reproductive organs;
• eliminate the consequences of a hangover;
• relaxation by inhaling the smell of spices;
• restoration of damaged photoreceptors, improving the quality of vision;
• the destruction of worm larvae in the blood;
• eliminate excess bile.

In 2014, Mexican scientists analyzed four types of saffron alcohol extracts using the Waters HPLC photodiode system: Spanish, Indian, Azerbaijani and Iranian. As a result of the analysis, scientists determined that Indian spice has a large amount of carotenoid pigments, which accelerate metabolism and lower blood sugar.

Earlier studies by scientists from Egypt and the UAE proved that the spice has an antitumor effect, which is manifested in the inhibition of the growth and spread of cancer cells, and also contributes to the disappearance of inflammation, prevents gene mutation.

To stimulate brain activity and memory, it is necessary to prepare the following mixture: grind 1-2 stigmas of spices into powder and pour hot milk. Medicinal filaments can slow down the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Did you know? Wealthy women in ancient times drank water with saffron to relieve pain during childbirth.

Spice has an antioxidant effect, removes free radicals from the body, promotes the rejuvenation of the whole body, reduces radioactive effects. Try a saffron stigma-enhancing recipe that cleanses your blood effectively.

To do this, fill in 10 strands of spice and 10 pcs. raisins with half a glass of cold water, leave for 8 hours, drink on an empty stomach. The course lasts 60 days, which can be repeated after 6 months. Modern research has proven the ability of spices to accelerate recovery 5-8 times from many diseases.

Seasoning has an astringent, bactericidal, tonic, diuretic, diaphoretic property, treats allergic manifestations, and relieves spasms. Saffron essential oil treats and prevents many diseases. Lotions with spice relieve headaches and relieve otitis media.

Beauticians use spice to improve the structure of the skin, its softening and moisturizing. Prepare a mask with saffron, sour cream and honey (1 tsp each component). She will refresh the face. The components should be mixed, then apply the mask to clean skin for half an hour. Rinse off with warm water at the end of the procedure.

To improve the condition of the hair, rinse it with a spice infusion. To do this, take 15 dry saffron stigmas, put them in a container, pour a small amount of boiled water. Heat on fire for 3 minutes. Then add a little less than half a liter of water. Continue to heat without boiling. The infusion is considered ready when the stigmas sink to the bottom.

Where to buy and what price

The high cost of seasoning is determined by such factors: the complexity of production, taste, aromatic and medicinal properties. On exchanges in Hamburg, London, Singapore, Rotterdam, New York, the average price of spice is 6 thousand US dollars.

The real cost of 1 kg of seasoning ranges from 0.5 to 15 thousand dollars. The variety, location and quality of the product affects the price.

The cheapest spice is Iranian. Its cost is $ 460 / kg. The Kashmiri spice is recognized as the most expensive in the world, the price of 1 kg of which is 20-30 thousand. Usually, saffron packed 1-5 grams is sold in markets and online stores. The cost of 1 g of spice is about 15 US dollars.

To grow 1 ha of saffron plantation, it is necessary to invest about 30 thousand dollars. For seven years from this field you can collect 10 kg of spice. Experts are sure that the price of this spice will certainly grow, and businessmen will profit for a long time.

The cost of crocus is not more than $ 0.3. It is planted with bulbs, which are divided into several parts and put into the soil with your hands. Large flowers bloom annually with famous strands at the price of gold.

Did you know? Saffron stigmas are the "king of spices" for centuries. They are recorded in the Guinness Book of Records, as the most expensive seasoning.

How to choose a quality saffron

This seasoning has the form of long stigmas of dark red or brown-red color, soft when touched and with a strong lasting aroma. The high price and huge demand for spice contributed to the manufacture of fakes.

For example, unscrupulous merchants added:

• other plants similar in color;
• stamens of crocuses, without their own aroma;
• glycerin, which increased weight and volume;
• strands of wild saffron.

Therefore, experienced buyers prefer stigmas rather than ground seasoning, because it is easy to fake.

Often, entrepreneurs in eastern markets can offer turmeric root, calling it Indian saffron. The flowers of safflower tinting and marigolds replace the real spice. Pay attention when choosing saffron on the appearance and cost.

If you find the spice at a discount price, then the purchased product will be of poor quality. It is recommended to store the seasoning in a closed container, the place should be cool and dry. Try to use the spice for 12 months after purchase, as long-term storage impairs the palatability. The shelf life of the seasoning is 2 years.

Contraindications and possible harm

Saffron stigmas are a strong spice, and use it in a minimal amount: pinches or several stigmas.Excess seasoning makes food bitter. A side effect of using saffron threads is a decrease in appetite.

Important! Saffron spice is not recommended for children under two years of age.

Seasoning diluted in wine enhances intoxication. An overdose of saffron threads in foods and drinks can result in overexcitation and overstrain, as well as poisoning. A lethal dose for a person is 2 g of fresh quality spice.

Pregnant women are not recommended to add such a strong tonic spice to their food.

Saffron is considered the “king of spices” due to its aromatic properties and positive effects on the human body. Saffron threads are used as incense, spices, paints and medicines. The bitter and aromatic seasoning is widely used by culinary specialists.

The latest scientific studies confirm the uniqueness of the healing properties of saffron stigmas: 80% of all diseases can be cured using threads as the main or additional means.