Saffron: Top Ten Benefits of Saffron for Children

Saffron or ‘Kesar’ is a spice that grows as a plant called crocus sativus. Each plant contains seventy five thousand blossoms that look like thin threads. These blossoms are dried and used as spice for flavouring food. The plant is cultivated in Greece, South-west Asia, North America and Oceania. It is a rather expensive spice and, apart from being used in food for flavouring, it is also used in traditional medicines. The global saffron market was worth USD 374.6 million in 2020 and is projected to grow at an 8.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2020 to 2028. Growing demand for saffron in medical and cosmetic applications is anticipated to drive the market during the forecast period. Saffron is high in antioxidants and has a variety of health advantages. Picrocrocin, safranal, and crocin are the primary active compounds found in saffron. These substances aid in the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation in the human brain. Furthermore, saffron is known for its memory-enhancing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, which are expected to drive market development. It is also used in the cosmetics business as a natural UV-absorbing agent.

Half a teaspoon of saffron contains 38% Vitamin C, 17% Iron, 18% Magnesium, 14 % each of Vitamin B6 and Potassium. Moreover, saffron contains more than 150 useful compounds like crocin, picrocrocin and carotenoids that give it strong taste, beautiful fragrance, intense colour and medicinal qualities. 

Saffron is known to have special properties that can give your baby enormous health benefits. 

1. Strengthens bones: Saffron boosts the absorption of calcium and helps in building strong bones in babies. 

2. Gastric tonic: Saffron clears toxins from the stomach and works as a gastric tonic. It aids digestion owing to its astringent properties. 

3. Helps in respiratory problems: Saffron is highly useful in getting rid of respiratory problems and improving respiratory function. It is used in the treatment of asthma and bronchitis. Social conversations about shows that the consumption of Saffron have declined by -13.27% over the past year. 

4. Mood enhancer: Saffron acts as an exhilarant and creates a sense of happiness. It can help restless babies by inducing a feeling of calm and happiness.

5. Improves eyesight: Saffron can cure cataract, conjunctivitis and can improve eyesight. Retina blood flow increases tremendously because of crecetin and crocin that it contains. Its regular use can help in protecting retinal damage, prevent macular degeneration and can even protect against tunicamycin. 

6. Anti-inflammatory: Saffron has anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of crocin and crocetin as its main ingredients. 

7. Treats fever: Saffron comprises of crocin that helps in bringing down high temperature.

8. Oral Hygiene: Massaging babies’ gums with saffron daily helps in keeping the mouth and tongue clean and also reduce inflammation and soreness of mouth.

9. Skin Conditions: Many babies suffer from dryness and rashes on their skin. Saffron can soothe the skin. 

10. Heart Tonic: Saffron is used to support cardiovascular functions in babies and help in keeping at bay all kinds of heart related issues. 

However, care should be taken not to consume this spice in excessive quantities. If consumed for extended periods of time, it may cause dry mouth, drowsiness, anxiety, headache, loss of appetite and even allergies. When taken in large doses orally, it can cause bleeding from the nose, bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, numbness and many more hazardous side effects. 

Saffron is best used in food to enhance taste and fragrance. It can be eaten in food or consumed with milk. Saffron can be applied as a paste on the skin for its skin rejuvenating properties.

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