Saffron – The World’s Most Expensive Spice

Saffron is the world’s most expensive spice and costs between £500 and £3000 per pound.
It is produced from fragile, crimson-coloured filaments hand-picked from tiny crocus sativus flowers that bloom for less than a month a year.
More than 100,000 of these are needed for one pound of the spice.
For thousands of years, it has been valued as an aphrodisiac, an anti-depressant and a remedy for a hangover.
Traders caught passing off ‘false saffron’ in medieval Germany were burnt at the stake.
Legend has it that during the reign of Edward III, a pilgrim brought a bulb of saffron from the middle east to the town of Chipping Walden.
Its sale as spice, medicine, dye, perfume and aphrodisiac brought prosperity to the town, which became Saffron Walden.
Spain supplies 70 per cent of the world’s saffron.

Recent studies in both Australia and Italy have found that when eaten, saffron may protect eyes from UV damage and slow down or even reverse age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in old people.
The unique compounds found naturally in saffron include crocin and safranal.
They belong to a family called carotenoids, which includes betacarotene (a type of vitamin A).
Carotenoids give plants such as carrots or red peppers their colour.
Saffron gives chicken korma, pilau rice, risotto and paella their yellow colour.

A study in New Mexico found that crocin and safranal actively prevent cancer cells from dividing.
Research has found that saffron boosts immunity by helping white blood cells to mature, as well as increasing levels of enzymes that help the body break down toxins.
Studies show that these compounds play key roles in preserving eyesight, protecting against cancer and preventing Alzheimer’s.
Some countries are already using saffron for treating cancerous tumours, hoping to discover the ideal dosage.