Saffron isn’t as popular in western cooking as other spices and for good reason.
It’s the most expensive spice in the world because it’s so difficult to harvest. A pound of saffron, which is about 450 grams, can cost between $500 and $5,000. So, this isn’t the kind of spice you just throw into your cooking at random. And that’s a shame because there are several important ways that saffron benefits your health that you need to be aware of. Furthermore, if you have Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS), these benefits are even more important.
What is Saffron?
Saffron is derived from the stigma and styles, also called threads, of the Crocus sativus flower. Harvesting it is very difficult because each delicate thread has to be carefully harvested by hand. This is why it’s so expensive. Saffron has a very strong smell and distinctive color.
This spice was first used as a medicinal plant in Greece to improve mood, memory, and libido. And the belief that saffron could help with these problems was well-founded, and science now proves that these are just some of the ways that saffron benefits your health.
Saffron can be added to food and consumed. This spice not only makes food taste delicious but consuming it this way also decreases the chances of taking too much. That being said, there are very few side effects to consuming saffron. Some warnings about consuming saffron include:
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Avoid high doses of over 1.5 grams a day as they can be toxic. However, it would be very difficult to eat this amount.
Pregnant women, in particular, should avoid high doses as it tends to stimulate the uterus.
It is possible to be allergic to saffron, so if you notice allergy symptoms then see your doctor.
Taking saffron may help with specific health issues. It may also help with AFS and the combination of problems and symptoms that it causes.
AFS and Imbalances
AFS occurs when the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response becomes unbalanced. When you’re healthy, the NEM stress response works in the background. It helps to resolve stress and protect your body against the damage that stress can do. But in the modern world, the NEM stress response is often overactive over a prolonged period. This system is designed to turn on and off in response to short-term stressors. But stress in the modern world is often chronic. This ongoing need for the NEM stress response can cause it to become unbalanced.
When the NEM stress response becomes unbalanced, all of the circuits in it do as well. The NEM stress response is comprised of six circuits, each of them containing three components. All of the circuits, organs, and components involved in the NEM stress response are also tightly interconnected. So, as one part of the stress response becomes unbalanced and dysfunctional, the others follow suit.
The NEM stress response is activated when cortisol is released from the adrenal glands. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. When it’s released, it prepares your body to fight, freeze, or flee in the face of a threat. The modern world doesn’t contain too many of these physical threats. But your body reacts in exactly this way to the multiple stressors that you encounter throughout the day. This results in an ongoing high demand for cortisol. If this situation isn’t alleviated, the adrenals become fatigued and start to break down. And the cortisol and the adrenal fatigue both unbalance the NEM stress response, causing multiple dysfunctions throughout the body.
7 Ways Saffron Benefits Your Health
If you can afford saffron, then here are some ways that it may benefit your health and wellbeing:
1. Source of Antioxidants
One of the most important saffron benefits is the fact that it contains antioxidants, including:
Safranal
Crocin
Picrocrocin
Antioxidants help to deactivate free radicals and prevent oxidative stress. Oxidative stress and high numbers of free radicals have been linked to several serious health disorders such as cancer and heart disease.
This is also important for your AFS recovery. When you have AFS, free radical numbers rise because of a breakdown of the detoxification functions in your body. Taking in more antioxidants will help to correct this problem, prevent further damage, and reduce your stress levels, improving your adrenal fatigue.
2. May Fight Cancer Cells
Crocin, one of the main antioxidants in saffron, can also cause programmed cell death or apoptosis in different types of cancer cells. Best of all, this component has been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth without damaging normal cells and may stimulate their growth. Further research is needed to confirm this effect.
3. Better Brain Function
The crocin in saffron has been shown to improve memory and promote learning. It may also help to reduce inflammation and oxidative damage in the brain. As a result, in some countries, it’s used to help address the problems caused by Parkinson’s disease.
This may help with the brain fog and poor memory that’s so often associated with adrenal fatigue. Alleviating or reducing these symptoms would go a long way to reducing your stress levels and improving your AFS overall.
4. Promoting Hormonal Balance
Saffron may also have important benefits for the balance of your hormones. A pinch of saffron in a glass of milk can stimulate the libido in both men and women. It has been shown to have positive effects on sex drive and erectile dysfunction in men. And it also had positive effects on women who experienced decreased libido and vaginal dryness due to antidepressant medication.
Hormonal imbalances are a common problem in AFS, causing a range of problems including a lowered libido. If you suffer from these kinds of issues, then a small dose of saffron may be a fast and easy way to get back to normal.
However, you also need to be careful when trying this strategy. Stimulating your hormones when your body is already stressed and overwhelmed may cause additional stress and worsen your overall condition. So, make sure you talk to your doctor first.
5. Mood-Booster
Saffron may help to boost the mood and has even been used in conjunction with other therapies to help address depression. Studies have shown that this spice can increase dopamine levels in the brain without affecting the levels of other brain hormones. If you suffer from these issues because of adrenal fatigue or on their own, this could be a safe and easy way to supplement more conventional therapies.
Low moods are very common in AFS and a severe cause of stress. If taking saffron benefits your mental health in any way, it could be an important step on your road to recovery.
6. Weight Loss
Studies have shown that taking saffron may help reduce body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and total fat mass as well as reducing appetite. More research is needed to confirm these effects.
If you have AFS and are struggling with your weight, then taking a small amount of saffron could help your efforts. This will not only lessen the mental and emotional stress that excess weight can cause, alleviating the overactivation of the NEM stress response, and improving your AFS overall. It will also improve your overall health and reduce your chances of developing serious and potentially life-threatening diseases.
7. Reduction of PMS Symptoms
Many women experience pain, bloating, poor mood, and other symptoms because of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Research has revealed that women who take saffron regularly experience fewer PMS symptoms. There is evidence that suggests that saffron benefits your health even when you don’t eat it. In studies, women who smelled saffron for 20 minutes had lower cortisol levels, which may decrease PMS symptoms.
If smelling saffron is beneficial for your cortisol levels and PMS symptoms, that would have obvious benefits for AFS. Reducing stress is pivotal when you have adrenal fatigue, and if you can lower your cortisol levels with one simple strategy it will be very beneficial for your health overall.
Conclusion
Saffron benefits your health in several ways, especially in AFS. Unfortunately, the price of this spice can put it out of reach for many people. If you’re thinking of using saffron to benefit your health, here’s how to do it:
Start with small amounts and discontinue use immediately if you notice side effects.
Make sure that you track your symptoms so that you get an idea of whether this strategy is improving your health.
Talk to your doctor before use to ensure that saffron won’t make your condition worse in any way.
