Saffron – a very expensive spice
Saffron is one of the most popular as well as one of the most expensive spices in the world.
It is considered pricy in many areas and is also very much used by top chefs from all over the world.
While this spice under its common name saffron, the botanical name is Crocus Sativus.
Surprisingly, for one or the other, the saffron filaments are the hallmarks of this rare crocus.
There are only a handful of cultivated areas where the crocus thrives well.
In addition to the Persian region, Morocco is one of the main suppliers of this extremely valuable spice.
The peculiarity is that this plant has a triple chromosome set, which causes it to be barren.
The high price is not only in the most lavish and time consuming way of harvesting.
Each flower of the Crocus Sativus contains a pen, which in turn branches into three scars.
From these very fragrant and highly aromatic scars, which run like three threads, this popular spice is ultimately won.
Up to 200,000 flowers are needed for one kilogram of dried saffron alone. All of them must be plucked in painstaking craftsmanship.
A maximum of 60 to about 80 grams of saffron is won per harvest helper on the day, so not much.
The harvest is hampered by the fact that the crocus blooms only once a year for a few weeks, in autumn.
Thus, the availability of this spice is very limited and due to the laborious harvest and the difficult cultivation it is possible that saffron is so extremely expensive.
Saffron and its importance as a remedy
Saffron is not only very popular as a spice, but it has now also been the high efficacy as a remedy, which was already appreciated in ancient times.
In addition to an antidepressant effect, saffron also has positive effects on eyesight as well as on certain eye diseases.
Researchers and cell biologists at the Maximilian University in Freiburg have devoted themselves to the airing of the Secret of saffron.
They have the hope, through their research, to be a means on the track that, perhaps in the future, the fight of the medics against cancer can be intensively supported.
They have examined both the structure and the composition of the individual saffron threads.
The Association of Nature and Medicine of the Carstens Foundation has also devoted himself to the study of saffron and its impact on certain eye diseases.
This has come to the conclusion that saffron can have a positive effect on eyesight. Further information on this study can be found on the page.
Where can you get quality Saffron?
Buying saffron and not falling into a forgery can be a small science for itself.
There are also numerous grocery dealers from the original cultivation areas in the US.
So if you live in a big city, you won’t find it difficult to locate a Moroccan or Persian grocery store where you can get saffron extracts.
Buying saffron is also possible online but it is important to consider the customer evaluations first.
The prices are usually minimally higher than the local dealer.
When buying saffron, however, it is important to get it from a tested and reputable store.