Saffron is the most expensive spice by weight in the world, and a few threads are enough to colour a pot of rice or a cup of milk. In Ayurveda it is known as kumkuma or kesar, and it is a fragrant, golden spice that sits as comfortably in a festive sweet as in a classical materia medica.
This page describes saffron as the tradition sees it, and then says honestly what we were and were not able to confirm about modern safety. We could not find a dedicated page on saffron from the safety sources this site relies on, so the safety section is general and cautious.
What it is
Saffron is made from the dried red stigmas of Crocus sativus, an autumn-flowering crocus. Each flower has only three stigmas, and they are picked by hand, which is why the spice is costly. It takes a very large number of flowers to produce a small quantity of dried threads. In India the best-known saffron comes from Kashmir, in the Pampore region, and much of the saffron sold elsewhere comes from Iran and Spain.
- Sanskrit: kumkuma (also kesara, a name that is the origin of the Hindi word)
- Hindi: kesar or zafran
- English: saffron
- Plant part used: the dried stigmas (threads) of the flower
Its colour comes from compounds called crocins, its aroma from safranal, and its slightly bitter taste from picrocrocin. These are the compounds named in most laboratory research, which is not the same as a few threads in a pudding.
Because saffron is expensive, it is also one of the most frequently adulterated foods. Cheap imitations include dyed fibres, dried corn silk or turmeric-coloured threads. Good threads are deep red, dry and brittle, and when steeped they colour water slowly and keep their shape. Buying from a reputable seller matters more than the name on a tin.
The traditional view
Later materia medica such as the Bhavaprakasha describe a substance by its taste (rasa), energy (virya) and effect after digestion (vipaka). The profile most often taught for kumkuma is below, with the caution that teachers phrase it in different ways and sources do not all agree on the energy.
- Taste (rasa): pungent (katu) and bitter (tikta)
- Qualities (guna): light, with a slightly oily feel
- Energy (virya): commonly described as mildly heating, though some teachers describe it as balanced
- Effect on the doshas: often said to be balancing for all three, a quality called tridoshahara in the tradition: vata, pitta and kapha.
Saffron is one of the few spices that texts describe as suiting every constitution, and it is traditionally used in small amounts as a flavouring and colouring in food and drink, and in cultural uses as well. It features in festival cooking, in weddings and in worship, where its colour is associated with auspiciousness, and it is used in making the tilak mark in some traditions. We report these as what the tradition holds and what families do. They are cultural and historical facts, not medical findings, and nothing here says saffron treats any condition.
If the terms above are new, the page on the six tastes explains how Ayurveda reads flavour, and the pages on doshas through the day show how the three principles are described over a day.
In the kitchen
Saffron is used in tiny quantities, usually a few threads at a time. Its flavour is delicate, honeyed and a little medicinal, and too much turns bitter.
- Soaked in warm milk or water, then added to rice dishes such as biryani and pulao, or to kheer and other milk puddings
- Stirred into milk with a little cardamom, a drink that many families give in the evening
- Used in sweets such as shrikhand, halwa, kulfi and jalebi, where it provides both aroma and colour
- Added to tea in Kashmir, in the spiced green tea called kahwa
The practical trick is to crush the threads lightly between your fingers, then steep them in a spoonful of warm liquid for fifteen to twenty minutes before adding them. This releases colour and aroma far better than dropping dry threads straight into a dish. Store saffron in a sealed container away from light, and it will keep its character for a long time.
For other companions of milk and sweets, see cardamom, and for the wider group of spices, spices in the Ayurvedic kitchen.
What research says
We did not find a page on saffron from the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health or from the LiverTox database of the US National Library of Medicine, so we cannot report trial results or a safety rating from those sources. Many websites list benefits for saffron drawn from small trials, animal work or laboratory dishes. We do not repeat them, because we could not verify them from a source we checked, and we do not say saffron is proven to help with any condition.
This is a good place for a general reminder. Where a claim comes from a small study of an extract, it does not tell us much about a few threads used in cooking, and where a spice is costly there is also a risk of poor-quality products.
Safety and interactions
- Food amounts. A few threads in rice, milk or a dessert is an ordinary food use with a long history.
- Large amounts and supplements. We could not confirm safe amounts for capsules or extracts, and we give no dose. The tradition and general advice both treat large amounts as different from culinary use, so please do not take large quantities.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding. In many families, saffron milk is associated with pregnancy, a custom that is a matter of belief and not a medical recommendation. We found no source we checked that confirms saffron is safe in larger amounts during pregnancy, and general guidance is that large amounts are best avoided. Please ask your doctor or midwife before using more than food amounts, and before any supplement.
- Babies and children. Small food amounts are ordinary, and we found no source on concentrated products for children. Please check with a paediatrician.
- Allergies. Allergic reactions to saffron and to related plants are possible. Stop and seek advice if you develop a rash, swelling or difficulty breathing.
- Medicines. NCCIH’s digest on herbs and medicines describes most interactions as theoretical, and it picks out warfarin, digoxin and cancer chemotherapy for particular care. It does not name saffron. Anyone on those medicines, or on treatment for blood pressure, mood or diabetes, should ask a pharmacist before using concentrated products.
- Adulteration and contamination. Buy saffron from a trusted source. NCCIH also notes that some Ayurvedic preparations may contain lead, mercury or arsenic, which is a reason to be careful with compound products in general.
This page is education, not medical advice. Please read our medical disclaimer, see a doctor for any health concern, and consult a registered Ayurvedic practitioner (BAMS in India) before considering any Ayurvedic treatment.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What is saffron called in Ayurveda?
The Sanskrit name is kumkuma, also called kesara, and in Hindi it is kesar. The spice is the dried stigma of the Crocus sativus flower.
↳ Why is saffron so expensive?
Each crocus flower gives only three stigmas, and they are picked by hand. It takes a very large number of flowers to make a small amount of spice, which also makes it a common target for adulteration.
↳ Is saffron heating or cooling in Ayurveda?
It is commonly described as mildly heating, though some teachers call it balanced. The tradition describes it as suiting all three doshas when used in small amounts, and sources differ on the finer points.
↳ Is saffron milk safe in pregnancy?
Saffron milk is a family custom in many homes, but it is a custom and not medical advice. We found no source we checked that confirms larger amounts are safe, so please ask your doctor or midwife.
↳ How can I tell real saffron from fake?
Real threads are deep red and dry, and they colour water slowly while keeping their shape. Fast colour, a damp feel or very low prices suggest imitation. Buying from a reputable seller is the most reliable step.
Sources: NCCIH: Herb-Drug Interactions, NCCIH: Ayurvedic Medicine in Depth. No dedicated NCCIH, MedlinePlus or LiverTox page on saffron was found.