Saffron (pronounced is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus Sativus , commonly known as the “saffron crocus”. The vivid crimson stigma and styles , called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food. Saffron has long been the world’s most costly spice by weight. Although some doubts remain on its origin, it is believed that saffron originated in Iran .
The high retail value of saffron is maintained on world markets because of labour-intensive harvesting methods, which require some 200,000 saffron stigmas to be hand-picked from 70,000 crocus flowers for each 1 pound (0.45 kg) of saffron product. Forty hours of labour are needed to pick 150,000 flowers.
One freshly picked crocus flower yields an average 30 mg (0.0011 oz) of fresh saffron or 7 mg (0.00025 oz) dried; roughly 150 flowers yield 1 g (0.035 oz) of dry saffron threads; to produce 12 g (0.42 oz) of dried saffron, 1 lb (0.45 kg) of flowers are needed; 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fresh saffron yields 0.2 oz (5.7 g) of dried spice .
The most important of Variety of of saffron are Sargol, Negin , Pushali, Bunch, Konja or white
Variety of Saffron
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Sargol Saffron Sargol Saffron is the highest quality saffron from Iran. Also known as Persian Saffron, Iranian Safron, or Red Gold; Sargol Saffron can be recognized by the rich scarlet red of its threads. It has incredible fragrance and flavor and powerful coloring strength.Style ( white part of saffron) is removed and all red saffron is produced (Cut filament saffron).
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Super Negin Saffron Super Negin saffron threads are longer in length and contain no yellow or orange threads at all as compared to the normal negin threads. Super Negin is differentiated from normal negin strands by its color, length and thickness. Only the best strands which have been harvested perfectly and sorted for size and dried within 24 hours creating a beautiful bright red color qualify as Super Negin. |
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Negin Saffron Negin saffron is longer and thicker by common saffron. It is pure and contains stigma without the style and is the most expensive Saffron in the world. Negin saffron has no style & pollen and just consists of red parts of stigma with a high strength of coloring and aroma.This type of saffron has the best quality, and the amount of style attached to stigma is very little in it . |
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Pushali Saffron Pushali saffron is very vivid because it contains the stylish red stigma with a yellowish tail at the bottom. It contains the stigma with an approximate style of 3 – 7mm. This kind of saffron has lower color strength as compared to Kashmiri and Sargol saffron. It is produced at the early stages of harvesting season.Whenever style of saffron separated from flower, stigma will have 1-3mm cream, this kind of saffron called Pushali. Pushali has 3 grade: grade 1,2,3 |
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Bunch Saffron Bunch saffron contains the stigma with the whole style from the tip of the dark red threads to the yellow color tail of the filament. This saffron is available in bunch that’s why it’s called as Bunch Saffron. This kind of saffron contains the stigma with the whole style. The entire strings of saffron (the red and the white parts) bunched regularly together with a string. |
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White Saffron This type consists of the white and pale parts of the stigma, having high aroma but low color strength with a length of 5 to 15 mm, is used as an aromatic substance for foods and … This parts of saffron usually use in medicine and has many benefits although has not any red color. When sargol separated from bounch, remain white part of saffron, that called “white saffron or style |
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Health Benefit of Saffron
- A Powerful Antioxidant
- May Improve Mood and Treat Depressive Symptoms
- May Have Cancer-Fighting Properties
- May Reduce PMS Symptoms
- May Act as an Aphrodisiac
- May Reduce Appetite and Aid Weight Loss
- Easy to Add to Your Diet.