Saffron comes from a flower called Crocus sativus.
It is one of the most precious spices in the world.
It has a highly subtle and fragrant texture. Its heavenly sweet and luxurious taste is enigmatic.
It is believed to have originated from Iran, which is the world’s top producer.
In Iran, saffron is cultivated by professional individuals without using any chemicals in the process.
Buy Saffron
Saffron is one of the most precious spices in the world. In 2024, more than 90% of this magical spice used by customers around the globe was produced in Iran. Saffron is a highly popular seasoning agent due to its divine taste and magnificent color. However, it is costly because of the hard labor involved in cultivating and producing it. That is why you need to consider several factors before buying saffron to ensure you’re spending your money on a premium-quality product.
Why is saffron so expensive?
Saffron is, without a doubt, the world’s most expensive spice. The main reason for its high price is the complex harvesting process involved. The first thing you need to know about harvesting saffron is that it comes from the flower’s stigma. Due to its delicate nature, stigma, or the female part of the flower, should be harvested by hand and one by one.
After harvest, the stigma must be dried out to produce the final product that is ready to be consumed by the customers. As you may already know, the stigma is a very light part of the flower and does not weigh much. That is why an estimated 170,000 flowers should be harvested to gather one pound of saffron. In general, every acre of the farm only yields 4 pounds of saffron.
Another factor related to its harvest is the proper timeline. Due to the delicate nature of the flower, it should only be harvested when there is enough humidity in the air. Too much sunlight can destroy the flower’s soft texture, so it should only be harvested early in the morning. These factors combined with all the effort involved in producing the minimum portions of the product, contribute to the high value of saffron in the market.
How much does one gram of saffron cost?
Depending on the quality and the country of origin, 1 g of the product costs between 8 to 80 dollars. While you may find some products at a lower price range, you must consider that high-quality products cannot be purchased cheaply. Therefore, you should keep an eye out for fake products in the market. In the following, we will show you how to identify real saffron.
Is saffron worth buying?
The short answer is: Yes! Definitely! The high price of saffron, sometimes called Red Gold, makes one have second thoughts about purchasing it. Along with its heavenly taste and aroma, saffron has many health benefits which makes your decision to buy it one of the best decisions you have ever made. Aligohar Group provides our customers with around-the-clock consultation services to create a satisfying shopping experience.
What is saffron Used for?
It is used worldwide for four main reasons:
- Taste: it has a distinctive taste making it a perfect seasoning agent. That is why it is widely used in culinary schools in a variety of pastries and desserts.
- Aroma: its divine aroma has made it a top favorite with luxury brand perfume companies. It has a floral and earthly scent that, when combined with other fragrances like red rose and vanilla, creates a magical experience.
- Color: it is also used as a natural dye to replace chemical colorants in fabric, yarn, etc. In ancient times, it was a coloring agent for painting textiles.
- Medicinal capacity: it has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor capacities. It is proven to be beneficial in treating age-related diseases, including Parkinson’s and cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, saffron is found to be effective in treating neuropsychiatric illnesses.
Saffron Health Benefits
For almost 4000 years, it has been used for its medical and medicinal capacity. According to the latest research in the field, it has benefits for treating Alzheimer’s, depression, and Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms. Here is a list of saffron health benefits:
- It is an excellent source of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are the agents that protect you from free radicals dispersed in different parts of your body that cause oxidative stress and speed up the aging process.
- It can imitate the effects of an antidepressant in the body.
Adding this spice to your meals and even drinking it as tea can help elevate your mood and battle depression and anxiety. Because of its effectiveness in treating mild depression, it is sometimes called The Sunshine Spice.
- It can protect you against brain damage.
Prolonged depression and anxiety can cause brain damage for some people. Saffron is rich in an antioxidant called Crocin, which guards the brain against the damage that can be caused in the long run.
Saffron Health Benefits for Women
The Red Gold has many beneficial factors that are specifically helpful for women’s health and body:
- It alleviates menstrual pain and regulates bodily hormonal function.
- It soothes women during their menstrual cycle by relieving PMS symptoms, including pelvic pain and mood changes. As a result, it boosts women’s mood in this period and protects them against anxiety and depressive symptoms.
- It helps the female body cope better with the psychological and physical symptoms of menopause.
- It boosts skin health.
- It can help women in their weight loss journey by taming their desire to eat more and creating a feeling of satiety.
- Research suggests that saffron has anti-tumor features that aid women in preventing and battling breast cancer.
- Based on the latest research, taking 30 mg of saffron daily helps relieve the pain related to sexual intercourse for women.
How to Identify Real Saffron
Before buying, take into account these key details to distinguish the genuine from the fake products:
- Color: The first thing you need to pay attention to is the product’s color. Real saffron has a bright red-crimson color. Any product with a different shade of red, or one that is not red at all and is almost orange, may not be the original.
- Aroma: Real saffron has an earthly and flowery scent that is not too strong. It has a subtle scent. If you come across a product with a strong odor, it is probably not of high quality.
- Cold Water Test: Before spending a fortune and buying a large portion of the product, you can buy a small amount and test it for quality. Place some of the leaves in a small container and add cold water. If the water quickly starts to change color, it is not a premium-quality product. When the water slowly changes color, you can rest assured of its quality.
Where Can I Get Real Saffron?
As mentioned above, the market is filled with counterfeit goods due to the product’s high price. In this sense, there is no better way than buying directly from a trusted company to ensure you buy a genuine product. At Aligohar Group, we provide our customers with a wide range of products in terms of price and quantity to ensure they find exactly what they’re looking for.
Buying Saffron Online
So far, you have learned about its health benefits and multiple uses and applications in the culinary and pharmaceutical industries. Upon learning these points, if you are convinced to buy saffron, all you need to know is where to find the premium quality product. At Aligohar Group, we have created an online platform for customers worldwide to find and purchase their desired products.
If you want to buy saffron and are hesitant about what to do first, all you need to do is contact us. We will provide all the information you need to facilitate your online shopping experience. Furthermore, there is no need to worry about packaging and shipment. We take care of our customers’ needs no matter where they are and quickly deliver the products they purchase to their front door.
Can I Buy Saffron at the Grocery Store?
The answer is yes. At Aligohar Group, we are working with our partners to get our premium-quality products to the shelves of chain and grocery stores around the globe. If you feel more comfortable shopping in person, we can meet you where you are. Our main goal is to make our products available to all our customers worldwide.
Where to Buy Saffron Near Me
No matter where you are, Aligohar Group can deliver your desired product. We are in the process of developing our marketing team to expand our reach in the global market. Soon enough, you can buy saffron at a nearby store or local supermarket.
Saffron and Iranian Cuisine: A Match Made in Heaven
Now that you have learned all the benefits of its consumption, it’s time to learn a proper way to add the spice to your diet. Saffron is a staple of Persian cuisine, especially regarding desserts. No one, like Persians, has learned a better way to incorporate this spice into their dishes and create a magical experience. Here is a list of top favorite Persian dishes in which The Red Gold is a key ingredient:
· Persian Rice or Chelow
If there is one thing that you need to know about Iranians, it is that they love rice. Perfectly cooked rice or Chelow is an inseparable part of every Persian dining table. Nothing can make a plate of Persian rice stand out more than the delicious fragrance of the saffron added at the final stage of the cooking process. Together, they make culinary dreams come true.
·Persian Roast Chicken or Joojeh Kabab
Iranians love their kabab and eat plenty of it during their ceremonies. Nothing is more enjoyable than a Persian roast chicken or Joojeh Kabab marinated in an abundance of spices, including saffron. If you want to experience Persian cuisine at its best, order Joojeh Kabab the next time you visit a Persian restaurant.
·Persian Barberry Rice with Chicken or Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh
Well, you must’ve guessed already that, as Iranians, we love chicken. Persian barberry rice with chicken or Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh is one of the hallmarks of Persian cuisine. This dish combines barberry’s sour and fresh taste with the chicken and saffron, creating an even more magical experience for the diners.
·Tahchin
Tahchin is one of the hallmarks of Iranian cuisine because it involves the preparation of rice in a pattern not matched by any other culture and cuisine. Compared to Chelow, Tahchin is not made primarily from rice to be served along with side dishes and stews. Tahchin brings the whole dish to the table because it incorporates the elements of multiple dishes, including chicken, meat, yogurt, lemon juice, saffron, and other spices, and makes them into one solid culinary statement.
· Saffron Rice Pudding or Sholeh Zard
Suppose you talk about Persian cuisine and culinary skills and do not mention Persian desserts. In that case, you are doing a tremendous cultural injustice. Regarding sweets and desserts, Iranians are experts in combining tastes to create a magical experience. As mentioned above, Iranians love rice so much that they even use it in their desserts. Saffron Rice Pudding or Sholeh Zard is a Persian dessert that showcases to create a delicious dish, you do not need many ingredients; all you need is a steady hand and patience.
· Traditional Ice Cream or Bastani Sonnati
Last but not least, we need to talk about ice cream; it is delicious, cool, and refreshing, and when it is made with saffron, it reminds one of heaven. Iranian traditional ice cream, or Bastani Sonnati, is often made with saffron extract and garnished with pistachios and other favorite Persian nuts. Traditional ice cream is a favorite among all age groups, and you cannot go wrong with that.
Interesting Facts about Saffron
- It is the world’s most expensive spice and, at times, even more valuable than gold.
- Its name is derived from the Arabic term Zafran, which means “yellow.”
- It was first used as a seasoning agent in foods during the Bronze Age over 3000 years ago.
- In ancient times, Romans took baths in saffron water because of its divine aroma.
- Cleopatra, Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, was so fascinated with saffron that she used it as a cosmetic item.
- In Greek mythology, it was used by god Hermes as a remedy for his wounds.
- Every Crocus sativus flower has only three stigmas. That is why thousands of flowers should be harvested for a small portion of this precious spice.
- It was first cultivated in Persia around the 2nd millennium B.C. and spread to the rest of the world and Asia after the Mongol invasion.
- Iran has the best climate for its cultivation, making the country the world’s top producer.
- There is another flower called ‘meadow saffron’ or ‘wild saffron’ that, while having a similar name, has nothing to do with the real saffron and should not be consumed at all. It is a poisonous plant that can cause life-threatening conditions, including kidney failure and respiratory problems that might cause one to fall into a coma and even die.
FAQs
Does saffron have any unique benefits for men?
Yes, studies have proven that it increases sexual drive in men. Therefore, if you are looking for a libido booster, it may be just what you need. According to the latest research, taking a 30 mg daily portion significantly improves erectile function.
Is there a unique method for storing saffron properly?
Due to the delicate nature of the flower, it is highly vulnerable to high temperatures. If exposed to light, heat, and moisture, the product might lose its unique taste and aroma. That is why it should always be kept in a cool and dry place inside a tightly closed container.
Where is the best place to buy saffron online?
At Aligohar Group, we have created an online platform for our international customers that guides them through every step of the process. From choosing which product to buy to online shipment, we provide premium customer services to help them enjoy a safe and satisfying purchase.
What does saffron do to you?
It has many health benefits. First, due to its abundance of antioxidants, it can revitalize your body by fighting the free radicals that cause chronic illnesses like cancer. Second, it can help your mental state by elevating your mood. Studies have shown that it can relieve depressive symptoms. Third, it boosts your sexual drive by regulating your hormones and improving your sexual functioning.