The saffron flower is thought to originate from the Mediterranean and Iran. Saffron flower grows up to an average height of 20-25 cm. The saffron plant is planted in the form of onions in August and September and blooms funnel-shaped purple flowers in October. In the center of the flowers are three-parted, reddish-orange mounds.
Saffron is obtained from the dried red stigmas of Crocus sativus L. belonging to the family Iridaceae. is an important spice. Thanks to its medicinal properties, it has been used from ancient times to modern times. It is used in various fields such as traditional medicine, cosmetics, paint industry and food industry thanks to the bioactive components it contains. It is one of the most valuable spices in the world. Saffron is widely produced in Turkey, Iran, India, Afghanistan, Spain, Italy, Greece and Morocco. is limited to geographical regions such as the United States.
Saffron is a perennial herbaceous flowering plant belonging to the family Iridaceae. is an important spice obtained from the dried red stigmas of the plant Crocus sativus L. Saffron has been used in medicine, cosmetics, paint industry and used in various fields such as the food sector.
What are the Benefits of Saffron Plant?
The dried stigmas of saffron flowers have antidepressant, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, aphrodisiac, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory properties as well as cholesterol and blood has medicinal properties such as regulating sugar. Because of these properties, it has been used in traditional medicine from ancient times to modern times to improve human health. is widely known. Saffron has also been used in recent years to treat chronic diseases It is seen that the use of spices and functional foods in the daily diet is increasing for the prevention of cancer. In this sense is of particular interest to consumers thanks to its beneficial properties for human health.
Another area where the plant is used is in the cosmetics industry. Thanks to its unique odor and aroma components, it is used in products such as perfumes. cream made from the stigma of the saffron flower moisturizes the skin, water in the skin It was determined that it prevents loss and has anti-aging properties and started to be used in creams.
Saffron, water-soluble and red-yellow coloring thanks to the ability to paint much more than its own weight capacity in the dyeing industry due to its fabric as well as being used to dye various products such as is also used in the food industry to give color to food. For this purpose, especially Iranian, Arab, Central Widely used in Asian, European, Indian, Moroccan cuisines.
Historically, saffron has been used in the food industry and as a dye for 3000 years. Although it is known for its widespread use in industry, considering its traditional use and clinical trials, It has a wide range of uses with important effects. Today, saffron is cultivated in various geographical regions and saffron is in high demand. But cultivation and the amount of production cannot meet this demand due to the laborious collection process and low production efficiency.
What is the description of saffron? Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a perennial, bulbous cultivated plant belonging to the genus Crocus (Crocus) of the irises (Iridaceae) family, which can survive for more than two years. It is mostly cultivated in tropical and subtropical climate zones in the Northern Hemisphere. Since the plant cannot produce fruit and seeds, it reproduces with the help of bulbs. The onion part is located under the soil and this part is the bottom in the shape of a brown sphere, flattened at the top and 2-4 cm in size.
What’s left above the ground stem 20-30 cm long and 5-11 elongated green has a leafy appearance. The flower part is 5-7 purple It consists of an ovary with a colored petal, an oviduct and a stigma. The stigma part measures 2.5 to 3.2 cm and are colored orange, red or yellow.
In what country is 90% of the world’s saffron grown?
Saffron is one of the oldest spices, dating back 3,000 years, and there are different theories about its origin. Some studies believe that the saffron plant comes from Iran. is believed. An estimated 90% of saffron is said to grow in Iran.