Health Benefits of Saffron

Historically, it was believed that saffron was a wonder-drug against many ailments. Its widespread usage led one seventeenth century doctor to write "saffron maketh the English sprightly".

Much is written on the internet about the health benefits of all kinds of foods, but how does saffron stand up to scrutiny in proper medical trials? Here is the good news about this wonderful spice!

Saffron contains powerful anti-oxidants and is good for:

• Eye health. It helped patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) [Bisti et al., (2014) Vis Neurosci. 31(4-5): 355-361].

In addition saffron could one day be used in the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's Disease  [Finley & Gao (2017) Journal of Agric. Food Chemistry​​ 65(5): 1005-1020], metabolic syndrome [Razavi & Hosseinzadeh (2017) 

See the recent review by Broadhead et al. (2016) in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition for full details. 


PLEASE NOTE     
Consuming saffron (or any spice) in high doses could cause harm, as the high concentration of active ingredients can have a range of effects on the body. Reported side effects include dry mouth, dizziness, nausea, anxiety, fatigue, and appetite changes, but these are rare. However, in small doses, saffron is not known to have any side effects. If in doubt, consult your doctor or a trained herbalist.
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