Saffron is a species widely used in our cuisine to give color and flavor to dishes such as paella. But this condiment, which is specifically extracted from the stigmas of the flower of the saffron plant (Crocus sativus), contains many compounds with medicinal properties. Hence, saffron is also used in phytotherapy as a medicinal plant.

Various scientific studies support its effects for very different therapeutic indications.

The benefits of saffron for the body and mind

These are the main properties of saffron that have been the subject of scientific studies in recent years and that support its therapeutic use.

1. Antidepressant

A dose of 15 mg of saffron twice a day, in the morning and evening, has been shown to be effective for treat mild depression According to a study published in Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatrywhich considers that treatment with this spice is as effective as treatment with Prozac.

A 2019 meta-analysis that included up to eleven randomized studies confirms that saffron is significantly more effective than placebo in treating symptoms of mild to moderate depression, and no less effective than other known antidepressant drugs.

2. Protector against toxins

Regular use of saffron protects body tissues (especially the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and lungs) against harmful substances. natural or artificial toxic compounds.

This is due to the antioxidant capacity from saffron, whose flavonoids help reduce damage caused by free radicals generated during oxidation in the body.

3. Reduces appetite

Saffron can be used to promote weight controlas it helps reduce appetite. In addition to using it as a spice, you can use the extract at a rate of 175 mg daily.

A study by Iranian researchers corroborated this effect in 2017. Both crocin, an active component of saffron, and aqueous extracts of saffron, but especially the latter, proved to be effective in reducing appetite and improving parameters associated with obesity such as abdominal circumference and body fat mass.

4. Boost memory

The crocin in saffron also serves to improve the cognitive skills and memory of people suffering from Alzheimer’s. The benefits are similar to those achieved by some drugs, but without their side effects.

5. Improves premenstrual syndrome

An amount of 30 mg of saffron per day (spread between morning and evening) can help reduce PMS symptoms As confirmed more than a decade ago by a study published in An International Journal of Obstetrics and Ginaecology. In particular, they were observed improvements in mood, pain, and breast tenderness.

Another more recent study published in Advanced Biomedical Research confirms the effectiveness of saffron to treat menstrual dysphoric disorder. To reach this conclusion, they administered fluoxetine or saffron to 120 women diagnosed with this disorder during the luteal phase for two cycles. The fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitoris the active ingredient in antidepressant drugs such as Prozac. The researchers concluded that saffron is just as effective than fluoxetine to treat premenstrual discomfort, but without its side effects.

6. Take care of your skin

As an ingredient in creams, saffron is used to calm the itch, protect from the sun’s rays and maintain hydration. These uses would be supported by the antioxidant and photoprotective properties of compounds present in saffron such as safranal, currently proven only in in vitro studies according to the authors of this review of studies published in 2021.

Other indications of saffron are infertility, cholesterol and hypertension.