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AYURVEDIC FOODS

Saffron Benefits (According to Ayurveda)

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1. Ayurvedic Perspective

2. Biocharacteristics & Herbal Actions

3. Similar foods and herbs

4. Impact: On tongue, nerves, elimination, etc.

5. Indications / Benefits

6. Comments and reviews

How Does This Ayurvedic Food Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Recipes with Saffron: Almond Milk with Saffron & Cardamom

Cooling Blood Purifier
Saffron is a nourishing purifier that invigorates and moves the blood while cooling it. Saffron breaks up blood clots and clears liver stagnation. While most blood movers are heating, saffron is unique among blood movers for its cooling properties. This makes saffron a useful herb for Pitta disorders with blood stagnation, including inflammation, arthritis, acne, and hepatitis.

Skin Tonic
Saffron's ability to dilate the blood vessels encourages sweating and opening the pores (diaphoretic), effectively cleansing the skin and restoring a healthy glow. Saffron is also a cardiotonic that destroys phlegm. A paste is used topically in bruises and sores. Its blood moving qualities enhance digestion.

Cools the mind
Saffron is a refrigerant for the mind. It's Pitta pacifying qualities have been used to restore eyesight and to lower fevers.

Reproductive Tonic
Saffron with milk and ghee is a nourishing reproductive tonic for both men and women. Saffron's blood moving qualities are particularly desirable among herbs that stimulate the release of oxytocin, the "tend and befriend" hormone, supporting saffron's use to encourage mother's milk flow (galactagogue), and to contract and restore the uterus after giving birth. Like most oxytocic herbs, saffron is an abortifascient and should not be used during pregnancy. Its blood moving qualities can stimulate the menses (emmenagogue).

Urinary Tract
Saffron is also a purifying diuretic for urinary disorders. Saffron is mixed with honey for urinary stones. The recommended dosage of saffron is 1.5 to 3 grams of dried herb, usually taken as a decoction.

About Saffron

Saffron's use is ancient. Saffron-based pigments have been found in 50,000 year-old paintings in northwest Iran. It conjures romance, royalty, and delicacy wherever it appears. Alexander the Great bathed in saffron to cure battle wounds. Cultivated saffron emerged in late Bronze Age Crete, bred from its wild precursor by selecting for unusually long stigmas making the plant sterile. Called Kumkum or Kesar in Ayurveda, it also appears as an important medicinal herb in many ancient texts including Ayurveda, Unani, and Chinese Medicine.

Buying & Preparation

Luxurious and expensive, it takes approximately 75,000 saffron flowers to produce one pound of saffron stigma. The saffron trade is wrought with as many scandals as the diamond trade. Make sure your source doesn't use red dye to fake the saffron. Safflower stamens are another popular fake. Always buy from a reputable source.

Saffron likes climates where hot, dry summer breezes sweep semi-arid lands. It is native to southwesern asia.

Cooking Saffron

Grind saffron in a mortar and pestle. Add a few drops of water and continue grinding until completely mashed. Then soak in two tbsp water for 10 minutes.

Saffron is used in sweet and savory dishes alike, where it imparts an elegant and classy touch to any recipe. It is especially popular in the decadant mughlai dishes of northern india. It is a signature ingredient of Spanish paella. Saffron is widely used in Persian, Arab, Central Asian, European, Indian, Turkish, and Cornish cuisines.

Saffron has a 'metallic honey' bitter taste and hay-like fragrance.

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Is Saffron Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Saffron' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

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AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

SERVING SIZE: 1/16 tsp

SPECIES: Crocus sativus

FAMILY: Iridaceae

EAT IN: SUMMER

Metabolic Nature of Saffron

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	LIQUEFIED ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR DRY ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY LIGHT ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Lightness is identified by reduced weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT MOBILE ABOUT MOBILE BIOCHARACTERISTIC Mobile refers to anything that stimulates the nervous system, muscles, or activity. LEARN MORE ABOUT MOBILE
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	ASTRINGENT ABOUT ASTRINGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT PUNGENT ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper. LEARN MORE ABOUT PUNGENT
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded. Learn More	PACIFIES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	Subtaste: Aromatic AROMATIC Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues. SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS Moves Energy: Outward OUTWARD Outward-moving substances stimulate circulation, push heat towards the skin, or are stimulating. SEE ALL 'OUTWARD' FOODS / HERBS Tissue (dhatu): Red Blood RED-BLOOD Red blood (Rakta Dhatu) includes red blood cells and blood vessels. SEE ALL 'RED-BLOOD' FOODS / HERBS Affinity: Skin Care SKIN-CARE Includes skin care, and anything that nourishes epithelial membranes (of digestive, respiratory, urinary tract, blood vessels, etc). SEE ALL 'SKIN-CARE' FOODS / HERBS Family: Iridaceae
HERBAL ACTIONS (see all)	Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Saffron Experiences are Personal Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition. Digestion: Carminative CARMINATIVE Stimulates the release of gas. Helpful for bloating or cramping abdominal pain. Propels food downward. Carminatives typically expel gas by relaxing the muscles of the intestines. SEE ALL 'CARMINATIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Digestive DIGESTIVE Herbs that encourage healthy digestion. SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Spleen Tonic SPLEEN-TONIC An herb that strengthens spleen function by improving strength of the blood. Spleen tonics Builds agni, brighten the person's appearances & firms up tissues. SEE ALL 'SPLEEN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS , Stomachic STOMACHIC An herb that increases appetite or settles a nauseas or nervous stomach. These generally increase the digestive fire, therefore relieving symptoms of sluggish or difficult digestion. SEE ALL 'STOMACHIC' FOODS / HERBS Cleanse & Detox: Burns Toxins BURNS-TOXINS An herb that detoxifies by helping your body metabolize toxins, as opposed to eliminating them. SEE ALL 'BURNS-TOXINS' FOODS / HERBS , Internal Detoxicant INTERNAL-DETOXICANT Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system. SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS Mind, Stress & Sleep: Antidepressant ANTIDEPRESSANT Herbs that lift feelings of depression, benefit the mind and improve mental function. SEE ALL 'ANTIDEPRESSANT' FOODS / HERBS , Anxiolytic ANXIOLYTIC Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines. SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS , Nervine NERVINE Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature. SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS , Neuroprotective NEUROPROTECTIVE Repairs / restores damaged nerves. Protects nerve health. SEE ALL 'NEUROPROTECTIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Sedative SEDATIVE Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain. SEE ALL 'SEDATIVE' FOODS / HERBS Energy Vitality: Stimulates Energy STIMULATES-ENERGY This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs. SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-ENERGY' FOODS / HERBS , Nutritive NUTRITIVE An herb that is strengthening and nourishing. SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS Skin Care & Beauty: Diaphoretic DIAPHORETIC An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin. SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS , Skin Tonic SKIN-TONIC An herb that strengthens and nourishes skin, improving tone, color, moisture and complexion. SEE ALL 'SKIN-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Immune System: Antipoisonous ANTIPOISONOUS An antidote for a poison. Many anti-poisonous herbs draw out a poison and are good for insect bites. Others help burn it up. SEE ALL 'ANTIPOISONOUS' FOODS / HERBS , Antipyretic ANTIPYRETIC Reduces a fever / febrifuge. SEE ALL 'ANTIPYRETIC' FOODS / HERBS Heart & Circulation: Blood Thinner BLOOD-THINNER Herbs that thin the blood. Helpful for people with heart disease or clogged circulation. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-THINNER' FOODS / HERBS , Cardiac Tonic CARDIAC-TONIC Strengthens and tones the heart (heart-tonic). Cardiac tonics are used to treat a wide range of heart issues from arrhythmia, to cardiac insufficiency. SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS , Styptic STYPTIC A herb that contracts tissue or blood vessels. Generally styptics are astringent. They are often used topically as a hemostatic to stop bleeding, or to reduce secretions. SEE ALL 'STYPTIC' FOODS / HERBS , Blood Tonic MILD BLOOD-TONIC An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Kidney & Urinary: Diuretic DIURETIC Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure. SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS Liver & Gallbladder: Livotonic LIVOTONIC An herb that strengthens the liver. It is helpful for people with a history of substance abuse, chronic liver issues from hepatitis and hemolytic anemias. Generally, liver tonics are oily, cool, sweet, mildly sour, or contain beta-carotene. SEE ALL 'LIVOTONIC' FOODS / HERBS Reproductive Health: Aphrodisiac APHRODISIAC Herbs that increase sexual arousal through various actions including increased circulation, relaxation, stimulation, or tonics that strengthen glandular health. SEE ALL 'APHRODISIAC' FOODS / HERBS , Emmenagogue EMMENAGOGUE Herbs which stimulate menstruation. Emmenagogues are used for scanty menstruation, to relieve menstrual pain, and improve blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus. SEE ALL 'EMMENAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS , Galactagogue GALACTAGOGUE Increases production of breast milk, often by raising prolactin and diaphoresis. SEE ALL 'GALACTAGOGUE' FOODS / HERBS Other: Grounding Constituents: Aromatase Inhibitor AROMATASE-INHIBITOR Blocks estrogen synthesis by inhibiting conversion of progesterone and testosterone into estrogen. SEE ALL 'AROMATASE-INHIBITOR' FOODS / HERBS , Saponins SAPONINS Can be used to make soap. Saponins stimulate mucus membrane secretion, liquefying mucus for easy removal (expectorant). SEE ALL 'SAPONINS' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Saffron

Fenugreek

Fenugreek has these Actions in Common

Antipyretic, Carminative, Diuretic, Internal-detoxicant, Spleen-tonic, Aphrodisiac, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue, Nervine, Stimulates-energy, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Galactagogue, Nutritive, Stomachic

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Dill

Dill has these Actions in Common

Carminative, Diuretic, Nervine, Stomachic, Antipyretic, Diaphoretic, Galactagogue, Spleen-tonic, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, Stimulates-energy

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Mustard

Mustard has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-tonic, Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, Carminative, Diuretic, Spleen-tonic, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue, Stimulates-energy

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Cinnamon

Cinnamon has these Actions in Common

Aphrodisiac, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue, Spleen-tonic, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Galactagogue, Stimulates-energy, Carminative, Diuretic, Internal-detoxicant, Styptic

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Rosemary

Rosemary has these Actions in Common

Antidepressant, Diaphoretic, Internal-detoxicant, Spleen-tonic, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Nervine, Stimulates-energy, Cardiac-tonic, Emmenagogue, Neuroprotective, Stomachic

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Chamomile

Chamomile has these Actions in Common

Carminative, Emmenagogue, Skin-tonic, Anxiolytic, Diaphoretic, Nervine, Spleen-tonic, Blood-thinner, Digestive, Sedative, Stomachic

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Cilantro

Cilantro has these Actions in Common

Carminative, Internal-detoxicant, Stomachic, Blood-thinner, Digestive, Spleen-tonic, Styptic, Burns-toxins, Diuretic, Stimulates-energy, Antipyretic

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Mustard Powder

Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue, Stimulates-energy, Cardiac-tonic, Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, Carminative, Diuretic, Spleen-tonic

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Mint

Mint has these Actions in Common

Anxiolytic, Diaphoretic, Nervine, Stomachic, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Spleen-tonic, Antidepressant, Carminative, Internal-detoxicant, Stimulates-energy

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Basil

Basil has these Actions in Common

Diaphoretic, Galactagogue, Spleen-tonic, Burns-toxins, Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, Antidepressant, Carminative, Diuretic, Nervine, Anxiolytic

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Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Saffron

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

Antidepressant, Nervine, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Blood-tonic, Stimulates-energy, Burns-toxins, Stomachic, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Internal-detoxicant

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Amalaki

Amalaki has these Actions in Common

Nutritive, Antipyretic, Skin-tonic, Stimulates-energy, Aphrodisiac, Styptic, Blood-tonic, Cardiac-tonic, Carminative, Digestive, Internal-detoxicant

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Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

Antipyretic, Nutritive, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Aphrodisiac, Blood-tonic, Diuretic, Galactagogue, Nervine, Antidepressant, Neuroprotective

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Hops

Hops has these Actions in Common

Digestive, Diuretic, Internal-detoxicant, Nervine, Antipyretic, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Carminative, Diaphoretic

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Yarrow

Yarrow has these Actions in Common

Antipyretic, Styptic, Blood-thinner, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Internal-detoxicant, Livotonic, Stomachic

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Cumin, Coriander, Fennel Tea

Cumin, Coriander, Fennel Tea has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Galactagogue, Internal-detoxicant, Nervine, Spleen-tonic, Burns-toxins, Diaphoretic, Digestive

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Rhodiola

Rhodiola has these Actions in Common

Neuroprotective, Sedative, Stimulates-energy, Antidepressant, Anxiolytic, Blood-tonic, Cardiac-tonic, Emmenagogue

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Wild Ginger

Wild Ginger has these Actions in Common

Burns-toxins, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Emmenagogue, Internal-detoxicant, Spleen-tonic, Stimulates-energy

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Manjistha

Manjistha has these Actions in Common

Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Internal-detoxicant, Skin-tonic, Spleen-tonic, Blood-thinner, Blood-tonic

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Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal has these Actions in Common

Antipoisonous, Antipyretic, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Digestive, Diuretic, Emmenagogue, Nervine

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Elecampane

Elecampane has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Neuroprotective, Sedative, Stimulates-energy, Styptic, Antipoisonous, Diaphoretic, Digestive

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Impact of Saffron

In each clinical research trial below, students from the Joyful Belly School of Ayurveda ate the selected food for 3 days and reported the pharmacological effects. See other clinical research trials for diet & herbs at Joyful Belly.