Saffron Tea: Its Health Benefits & How To Make It?

Saffron is a wonderful spice that comes from the flowers of crocus Sativus linne. It grows in parts of Europe and in the Middle East. Saffron is most commonly cultivated in Greece, India, and Iran. The flowers produce dark red colored stigmas or the threads, which are carefully removed by hand and dried to be used as the saffron spice.

Saffron has got a lot of culinary use to add flavors and colors to foods, as a perfume ingredient or a fabric dye. Just like many other herbs, saffron spice is also used to prepare tea and the tea is known as saffron tea. Saffron tea has got a lot of health benefits and is used to treat various health conditions. In this article we will read about some of the health benefits of saffron tea and also know how to make the tea. So read on to learn more about it.

Saffron is also known as the “Sunshine spice”. It is not just because it is red and at times yellow in color; but it is also because it has impressive mood-enhancing abilities. There might be some science behind this too.

An older study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology has found that saffron is as effective as the Fluoxetine or Prozac drug in treating mild to moderate cases of depression.⁽¹⁾

One review from the Journal of Integrative Medicine has examined a lot of studies involving the use of saffron for treating depression in adults above 18 years of age. It was found that saffron actually improved symptoms for people suffering from major depressive disorder.

NOTE: Tough it might look like a good alternative for people who really do not tolerate antidepressant medications well, it is always essential for you to take your prescribed medications.

Saffron tea is also known to be good for your digestive health. It can help you settle an upset stomach, treat stomachache and also flatulence. You need to drink saffron tea every morning so as to prevent gas problems and other digestive issues. However, do not take the saffron tea with milk if you have gas problems as it can aggravate your condition.

Saffron tea could also have some fair heart health benefits. Saffron contains different chemical components in it and some of these compounds might help in reducing blood pressure and also protect you against heart diseases.

One review of studies conducted on rats has shown that saffron reduced the blood pressure.⁽²⁾ Other research using rabbits has found saffron to be quite effective in lowering the levels of cholesterol and triglyceride in the blood.

An older human study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Sciences has found that saffron effectively reduced the possibility that LDL or the bad cholesterol would cause tissue damage.⁽³⁾ Researchers believe that saffron has got antioxidant properties and this is why it could be effective in preventing heart diseases.

PMS or Premenstrual syndrome can cause numerous uncomfortable symptoms, ranging from mood swings to physical discomforts. It must be mentioned that some women are more affected than others. For those women who are trying to get some relief from PMS symptoms, can try saffron tea.

A review published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology has looked at the use of some herbal treatments for Premenstrual syndrome and the more severe cases like PMDD or Premenstrual Dysphoric disorder.⁽⁴⁾

Both these conditions result in discomfort in women before 1-2 weeks of their monthly period. Saffron could be beneficial here.

One more study in the International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, has looked at saffron as a treatment for symptoms of PMS in women in their age group of 20 to 45 years.⁽⁵⁾ It was found by the researchers that 15 mg of saffron when taken twice regularly could be really effective in getting you relief from symptoms of PMS.

Saffron tea is known to work as a preventive measure for cancer. It is packed with antioxidants as well as flavonoids. Antioxidants are helpful at protecting our body from harmful substances and flavonoids are chemicals present in plants that aid the plant to protect itself from disease and fungus.

It was found from a review of 2015 in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine that the chemical makeup of saffron might be really effective in preventing as well as in treating various types of cancers. However, researchers have pointed out that more studies that involve humans are required to confirm its effectiveness.

In case you feel restless at night and do not get proper night’s sleep or suffer from insomnia then one solution for you could be drinking saffron tea before going to bed. Yes, Saffron has got proven benefits in treating insomnia and this is because of its sedative properties.

There are 2 chemicals, namely crocin and crocetin present in Saffron, which are believed by researchers that they might help in learning and memory function.

A study published in Phytotherapy Research using mice has found that saffron was quite able at improving learning and memory problems.⁽⁶⁾

This research shows that saffron tea might have some significance in treating diseases affecting the brain, such as the Parkinson’s and the Alzheimer’s diseases.

We already know that saffron tea is packed with the goodness of nature and offers a lot of health benefits. Now, how about knowing how to make it?

Well, before we know about the process of making the tea we need to know about the ingredients that are required. So, you would need 1 liter of water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 lemon wedges, ½ gram of saffron, 1 teaspoon of honey, and 8 leaves of mint.

For preparing saffron tea, first boil water. Meanwhile place the tea leaves and saffron in a large teapot. Then pour the boiling water in the teapot and leave it for a few minutes. Now all you need is strain the liquid and put on your teacup and add sugar as per your taste. You can serve the tea along with mint sprig and a slice of lemon and can add a teaspoon of honey to the tea for making it healthier..

It is always essential for us to take very good care of our body, mind and overall health. Saffron tea has got so many crucial health benefits and thus it would be great if we add this to our daily diet. Let’s enjoy the tea while gaining the exclusive health benefits out of it.

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