Tibetan Saffron: Unveiling Its Price, Benefits, Uses, and Where to Buy

In the culinary world, Saffron is regarded as one of the world’s top-tier ingredients alongside truffles, foie gras, and caviar. Known as the “Queen of Spices”, saffron is one of the world’s most expensive spices. Besides, saffron also has a unique position in traditional medicine. It can promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and regulate the endocrine system. Today, we will introduce to you the “gold of flowers” saffron, what it is, what its benefits, where it can be purchased and how to consume it.

What is saffron?

Saffron is a precious and unique herb, which is picked from the stigma of Crocus Sativus flower. It has a dark orange silky appearance. As one of the most precious spices in the world, it exudes a spicy and rich smell that is charming and loved by many people. 

Saffron prefers high-altitude growth environment, and Tibet is one of its main planting areas. The special climate and altitude conditions of the Tibetan Plateau have provided a unique environment for its growth and development, creating a unique flavor and quality of saffron.

Why is saffron so expensive?

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, with 1 pound (450 grams) costing between $500 and $5,000. The reason for its high price is its labor-intensive harvesting method, which makes its production costly.

Picking saffron is a delicate work. When the first rays of light in the morning have not yet fully penetrated the night, the pickers have already shuttled through the saffron fields. Each saffron is like a work of art carefully carved by nature, and the most precious part is the three saffron stamens. The pickers must concentrate and use their dexterous hands to carefully separate the stamens from the flowers. If you are not careful enough, you may damage the stamens and affect the quality of saffron.

After the picking comes the complex processing. First, it is necessary to dry it. This step is crucial to ensure that the moisture in the stamens is fully removed, but it cannot be over-dried otherwise its original color and fragrance would be lost. After drying, the stamens are strictly screened to remove impurities and parts of poor quality. Only after these layers of strict checks do we finally get to see the small handful of precious saffron. It is because of this series of tedious and delicate processes that the output of saffron is extremely limited. Thus, it deserves to be called the “gold of flowers.”

What is saffron good for?

Saffron has a variety of medicinal effects.

Immune Regulation: Clinically, saffron is used to treat a range of chronic diseases by promoting blood circulation, reducing inflammation, and enhancing endurance.

Effects on the Liver and Gallbladder: Crocetin in Saffron can lower cholesterol and increase fat metabolism. It can be combined with traditional Chinese herbs such as hawthorn, cassia seed, and Alisma to treat fatty liver. Saffron also stimulates bile secretion and excretion. It may be used for the treatment of cirrhosis following chronic viral hepatitis.

Effects on the Kidneys: It can keep renal capillaries unobstructed, increase renal blood flow, and promote the repair of inflammatory damage.

Effects on the Circulatory System: Saffron extract has a stimulating effect on respiration. Under conditions of normobaric hypoxia, it enhances oxygen metabolism function in cells, increases the heart’s tolerance to hypoxia, and reduces myocardial cell damage caused by intense physical activity. This suggests saffron has a protective effect on the heart.

Anti-tumor Effects: Modern studies have found that saffron has significant anti-cancer and anti-tumor abilities.

Blood-tonifying Effects: It is also beneficial for regulating menstrual irregularities, endocrine disorders, and has anti-aging and skin-beautifying effects.

How to use saffron?

Here are some ways to use saffron for health care.

1. Drinking it as a substitute for tea

Saffron has a pleasant aroma, and drinking it as a substitute for tea is one of the most common and simple ways to consume it. Generally, take 3-10 strands each time and soak them in water. It is recommended to start with 3-5 strands and try it once a day or every other day. After 3-5 refills, you can take it together with the flower filaments. You can also add some honey and goji berries. Honey helps to replenish energy, soothe the lungs, stop coughing, and aid digestion, and goji berry nourishes the liver and kidneys, improves vision, and enhances vitality.

2. Cooking porridge or rice

When cooking porridge or rice, you can add 10-20 strands of saffron. The light fragrance of saffron not only makes the rice more delicious but also has beneficial effects on energy and blood circulation.

3. Cooking soup

Saffron can also be added to soups. When cooking soups with chicken, duck, fish, beef, mutton, pork, seafood or other ingredients, add 10-20 strands of saffron and stew them together. For example, saffron pigeon soup can be made by boiling pigeon with saffron, shiitake mushrooms, yam, red dates, goji berry, along with ginger, onion, cooking wine and other ingredients. According to traditional Chinese medicine, pigeon meat has the effects of strengthening the liver and kidney, boosting energy and promoting blood circulation. Saffron has the effects of relieving depression, calming the mind, and improving skin health. Therefore, saffron pigeon soup is not only nutritious but also has health benefits, helping to prevent various diseases.

Who cannot take saffron?

Saffron has many health benefits, but there are also contraindications. Not everyone is suitable for using saffron.

Pregnant women: Saffron can promote uterine contractions, and high doses may pose a risk of miscarriage. Therefore, saffron should be avoided during pregnancy.

Menstruation: While saffron can promote blood circulation and regulate the menstrual cycle, it may increase the risk of excessive bleeding during menstruation. Thus, it is recommended to avoid saffron during this time.

Patients with internal bleeding: Those with bleeding conditions in organs like the stomach or intestines should avoid saffron, as its blood-activating effects may exacerbate bleeding symptoms.

Patients taking anticoagulant medications: Those on medications like aspirin or traditional Chinese medicines that contain blood-activating or anti-clotting components should use saffron only under medical supervision.

Where to buy saffron?

You can buy authentic saffron in pharmacies in Lhasa, Tibet. During your Tibet tour, you can check out the shops on Barkhor Street, which is the commercial shopping center of Tibet. Lhasa departmental stores are also a good choice for you to buy high-quality saffron. In addition, saffron can also be bought at pharmaceutical factories or drug stores, but the price at these places is fixed and there is no room for bargaining. If you are unsure, you can also ask our Tibetan local tour guide for help. They know the market in Lhasa very well and can help you buy authentic saffron from the best stores in Lhasa, saving you trouble and effort.

If it is not convenient for you to go to a physical pharmacy, don’t worry, you can also buy authentic saffron from various online stores such as Amazon and Ali Express mobile app.

How to identify real saffron?

When purchasing saffron, it’s essential to carefully distinguish and ensure you’re buying a genuine product. Given the high price, buying a counterfeit would be a huge loss. So how do we identify the authenticity of saffron? Here are a few simple methods.

1. Observation: The medicinal part of saffron is the stigma of the pistil of the saffron flower. After picking and drying, it becomes a single thread of red filaments, with the top of the filament expanding like a trumpet.
2. Soaking in water: Although the filaments of saffron are red, its active ingredients appear yellow at low concentrations. Dyed fake saffron can only maintain a red color in water. To identify authentic saffron, soak a few threads in a glass of clear water. The authentic saffron can dye water golden yellow.
3. Wiping: Take a sample of saffron filaments, rub them hard on white paper, and then look at the color of the rubbed trace. The trace left by genuine saffron is yellow or orange, while dyed fake one will leave a red trace.

Conclusion

As a special local product of Tibet, saffron is not only a delightful treat for the taste but also the top choice for travel souvenirs. If you want to bring home some authentic saffron, you can come to Tibet to select it yourself. Meanwhile, Tibet also has many must-visit attractions such as the Potala Palace, Yamdrok Lake, Mount Everest and Namtso. We can plan a perfect travel itinerary for you, ensuring that you not only get to purchase high-quality saffron but also fully immerse yourself in the unique natural scenery and rich cultural heritage of Tibet. Come and join us on this unforgettable journey in Tibet!