Saffron Vitamins, Minerals and More

Saffron Vitamins, Minerals and More

saffron minerals and vitamins

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.

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