What Is The Spice Saffron Used For?

Saffron is the world's most expensive spice, with a price tag that varies from $500 to $5,000 per pound, depending on country of origin, quality and production. Saffron is native to the Persian Gulf region, and is widely used in Indian and Mediterranean cuisine as well. Depending on the type of saffron and the size of the flowers, up to 200,000 flowers are required to manufacture 1 kilogram of saffron.

Flavoring Foods

Saffron has a sweet but grassy flavor. It is widely used to prepare main dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine. A well-known dish is saffron rice, a deep-yellow rice often added to Spanish paellas or eaten with fish dishes, especially in Spain and Italy. In Sweden, people make lussebulle, a sweet saffron bun, to eat during Christmastime. Iran's national dish, the chelo kabab, is made with saffron rice and meat, often lamb.

Coloring Foods

Saffron has a deep red or bright yellow color, depending on type of saffron and drying methods. Middle Eastern saffron is usually a dark red, while saffron grown in Europe is likely to be yellow. Saffron is used to color confections, soups and liquors. Cooks use it to make cheese and curries as well.

Medicinal Uses

Saffron has anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties, according to a 2002 study published in the "Experimental Biology and Medicine" journal. Ancient medical practitioners used saffron to treat a number of medical problems, including blood disorders, respiratory infections and scarlet fever. There have been few modern studies on saffron because of the spice's high price, but its applications might turn out to be extensive.

Other Uses

In the past, people used saffron to dye cloth. Traditional robes used by Hindu and Buddhist monks were dyed using saffron. Its use in toiletries, such as perfume, is limited because of its high price, but you can still find some products that contain a small amount. Saffron was well-known and used for its aromatic and healing properties in ancient Rome and Egypt.