Saffron

Today is Wednesday and I took my bath and did my meditation and then came down in the kitchen to make and eat my breakfast and then I made a cup of tea for me with my favorite organic  spices fennel and cardamom and cinnamon that are full of nutrition and have calming effect on your body because fennel and small green cardamom  are good for your stomach. It calms your mind and body both. Especially when you start doing your yoga lessons again with someone special you love and adore. Then I decided to work on my blog and share some valuable spice name saffron and its benefits. It is domesticated in Persia, India, Asia and Spain.  Then it spreads to European countries by trade and used in wide variety of dishes and deserts and it enhances the flavor  and aroma of the dish. This spice is derived from dried stigmas of a beautiful and rare flower name crocus sativus and family Iridaceae and have almost 28 volatile aroma yielding compounds. Yellow color of saffron is because of compound name a-crocin and trans-crocetin di-ester etc. It also contains terpenes and esters. It has many health benefits for body. I am going to discuss some of its health benefits with you guys.

• Saffron oil has antioxidants in it that are greatly beneficial to destroy free radicals that causes cancer and other harmful diseases.
  
• Carotenoid pigments present in it has antidepressant properties and gives red color to its stamens.
  
• Drinking saffron milk help to reduce PMS and enhances the mood and before the start of menstrual periods in woman.
  
• Saffron helps to reduce anxiety and stress level in the body.
  
• It works as an excellent aphrodisiac.
  
• Saffron curbs appetite and helps to reduce weight because it is warm in nature and it gives warmth when taken mixed with honey.
  
• Saffron helps to reduce cholesterol level by unclogging the arteries.
  
• It improves macular degeneration by improving eyesight and protect against free radical damage.
  
• Antioxidants present in saffron helps to improve brain function and Alzheimer and improve cognition in adults.
  
• It may reduce insulin level in the body.

So, these are some of the medicinal uses of saffron. Now I am going to talk about some of its culinary uses to improve health and vitality.  I am going to share delicious sweet recipe  that has saffron threads that has exotic aroma and beautiful yellow hue to it. Ingredients for this recipe are listed as

• 1 cup of basmati rice.

• 1can of condensed coconut milk.

• Sugar if desired.

• And 2 pinches of saffron threads.

Take a pot cook your one cup of rice in two cups of water. Cover the lid and lower the heat until rice is cooked light and fluffy. After the rice are cooked add condensed coconut milk in it and saffron then cook it for 5 more minutes and constantly stir it until all the ingredients are mixed well at very low heat. Then savor it  It is nutritious and very healthy.