Saffron Vitamins, Minerals and More

This novel spice is a good source of minerals such as:

• Copper
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Manganese
• Iron
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Magnesium

Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure.
Manganese and copper are used by the body as co-factors for the anti-oxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
Iron is essential for red blood cell production and as a co-factor for cytochrome oxidases enzymes.
Additionally, it is also rich in many vital vitamins, including;

• Vitamin A
• Folic acid
• Riboflavin
• Niacin
• Vitamin C

These are all essential for optimum health.
The flower stigmas are composed of many essential volatile oils, the most important of them being,safranal. Safranal gives saffron its distinct hay-like flavor. Other volatile oils in saffron are;

• Cineole
• Phenethenol
• Pinene
• Borneol
• Geraniol
• Limonene
• P-cymene
• Linalool
• Terpinen-4-oil

This colorful spice has many non-volatile active components; the most important of them is a-crocin, a carotenoid compound, which gives the stigmas their characteristic golden-yellow color. It also contais other carotenoids, including zea-xanthin, lycopene, α- and β- carotenes. These are important antioxidants that help protect the human body from oxidant-induced stress, cancers, infections and acts as immune modulators.
The active components in saffron have many therapeutic applications in many traditional medicines such as antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-oxidant, digestive and anti-convulsant.