About Saffron
Etymology of Saffron
General Description
Botanical Description
Chemical Composition
History of saffron
Uses of saffron
Etymology of Saffron
The origin of the English word “saffron” is not entirely clear. It may derive from the 12th-century Old French term saffron, which in turn derives from the Latin word safranum, from the Arabic za’farān, which derives from the Persian word Zarparan, meaning “gold-studded” (implying either the golden stamens of the flower or the golden color it produces when used as a spice).
General Description
Saffron is an herbaceous perennial flowering plant. It is considered the most valuable, well-known and popular spice in the world. Saffron has its reputation mainly because of its unique and fragrant aroma, health benefits and low production rate around the world.
The mean weight of dry stigmas varies from 6–9 mg, so 160000–110000 flowers are needed to obtain 1 kg of spice. This harvesting process makes saffron so expensive.
Botanical Description
Saffron is obtained from the dried red stigmas of Crocus sativus L., an autumnal plant belonging to the Iridaceae family.
Saffron flowers consist of three stigma, three anthers and six purple petals.
Chemical Composition
Saffron is an excellent source of minerals such as copper, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, zinc and magnesium. It is also rich in many essential vitamins, including vitamin A, folic acid, and vitamin C, which are essential for optimal health.
Saffron contains about 150 volatile and non-volatile compounds known for their antioxidant, disease-preventing and health-promoting properties.
History of saffron
The history of the use of saffron dates back thousands of years, 2500-1500 BC.
Saffron has been used by different nations for different purposes, such as a spice, dye, perfume, and as a therapeutic agent for a variety of diseases in medicine.
Uses of saffron
The beneficial properties and uses of saffron in medicine, pharmacy, textile, dyeing, perfume, cosmetics, and food and agricultural industries have been documented by several authors.
