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In some form or another, saffron has been interwoven with humans for at least 6000 years. Its scientific name is Crocus sativus, but the name “saffron” is most likely derived from the ancient Persian word “zarparan”, meaning “to have golden stigmas”, or the ancient Arabic word “za-feran”, meaning “yellowish”.
Saffron is one of the most expensive herbs in the world, because it’s obnoxious to grow and harvest. The species of saffron traded today are not found in the wild and cannot reproduce without human intervention. On top of that, you need to grow a tonne of saffron plants just to harvest the stigmas – those little red fibers you add to curries and paella to give it that yellow color and savory, aromatic flavor. Hence the high-demand, low-supply, way-too-expensive vibe.
There is ample evidence saffron has been used medicinally for several millennia; it shows up on frescoes, in medical texts, and in poetry all over the world. At some points in history, it was more valuable than gold, which is why it’s sometimes referred to as red gold.
The saffron we know and love is thought to originate from what are today Western Afghanistan and Eastern Iran. But it might also be from Greece. Or Mesopotamia. Oh, and there’s a wild, very-close cousin that grows in Central Asia. And because of its extensive history in culinary and medicinal use, saffron is now also grown in North America, South America and Africa. Per usual, Australia is left out, playing by itself on the other side of the Wallace Line.
Let’s look at some highlights of documented evidence of saffron use in different ancient cultures:
Other ancient and historic instances of saffron in medicine include:
The list is endless, really. Suffice to say, saffron has been here a long time, and it certainly isn’t going anywhere. And like all the adaptogens, nootropics and superfoods in MTE, this ancient nootropic has some science behind its medicinal magick.
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Since saffron’s relationship with humans is aeons long, modern medical research had a great foundation to start with when asking the question of how to uncover and prove saffron’s medicinal abilities. Saffron may be a nootropic, but it’s also a superfood. Its nutritional profile includes vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and carotenoids, including 3 of the most powerful antioxidants we know of: safranal, pricocrococin, crocin, and crocetin.
The vital compounds that make saffron so super are highly-bioavailable, meaning your body can make use of most of what’s ingested, which is what gives saffron its health-boosting abilities. The powerful antioxidants in saffron offer relief from oxidative stress, which is implicated in over 100 diseases and neurodegenerative disorders.
Notably, the carotenoids are such that the body doesn’t alter them on their way to your bloodstream. As well, these carotenoids are water-soluble, which is what makes beverages an effective way to supplement with saffron. MTE uses a premium extract of the saffron plant, Affron®, which contains these concentrated active compounds.
Numerous scientific reviews from 2008-2018 documented the bioactivity of saffron in the body, including inhibition of tumor growth, protective effects on the hippocampus, liver and heart, and increment ocular blood flow, particularly via its antioxidant compounds:
Let’s look at some select purposes and evidence for saffron’s use in medicine over the last 3 decades of clinical research:
While this list isn’t necessarily endless, it’s still extensive, and certainly intriguing. A search through current research reveals that the scientific community isn’t really disputing the usefulness of saffron, but rather exploring the mechanisms, potential applications, dosages, and efficacy of saffron as a treatment for various ailments.
As we mentioned before, MTE utilizes Affron® in place of saffron in our health-and-energy-boosting green powder. Affron® is a premium, standardized extract of saffron comprised of its two most powerful carotenoids, safranal and crocin. Affron® focuses a few of saffron’s specific abilities, namely, mood and brain health support. Clinically, Affron® supplements have demonstrated anti-depressant, anti-anxiety and anti-anhedonic abilities. There is also data to support Affron® as a nootropic for sleep.
Interested in learning more about how a daily green powder supplement of adaptogens, nootropics and superfoods can improve your quality of life? We’re talking way more than just a natural energy drink; MTE is a daily wellness drink full of feel-good ingredients that support mood, energy, performance, and cognition. Check it out.