Saffron is the world's most expensive spice because it is an extremely labor-intensive crop to grow. Not only that, but it is also a human-only process that is used to extract each saffron thread from the "saffron crocus" flower.
The crop of saffron is a known perennial plant as it is cultivated in the autumn. It requires a lot of physical labor to get the flowers from the field. The English name for it has said to have stemmed from the Arabic word, "Az-Zafaran" which means yellow. Saffron or Zaffran which is also called Kesar has been used as seasoning, fragrance, dye, and medicine.
The ancient Greeks and Romans used it as a perfume. One of Saffron's first uses have been for dyeing textiles. And it is also the official color of Buddhist robes in India. Today, saffron is used as a cooking spice and a clothing dye. It's an essential part of some Eastern, Middle Eastern, and European dishes.
It adds pungent and aromatic flavor to foods and also beautiful golden color. It is costly because of the way it's harvested and processed and it is the rare spice that is found in northern states of India, particularly in a small district in Kashmir state called Pampore, where these flowers blossom. Although it is believed to be native to the Mediterranean, Asia Minor, and Iran, although Spain, France, and Italy are also now primary cultivators of the spice.
The spice we think of when we hear "saffron" is actually only the stigma of the female part of the flower of the plant, not the plant in itself. Saffron is the reddish-orange dried stigmas (Crocus sativus) of the purple flower.
There is only a three-pronged style 25-30mm stigmata in each saffron flower. Each stigma (and their red pistils) have to be separated from the plant, then they are dried to preserve their color and flavor. Since such a small part of the flower is used, it takes 225,000 stigmas to make kilogram 0.45 ( 1 pound of saffron spice). The small amount of saffron spice per plant, along with the fact that harvesting must be done manually, leads to saffron's being majorly world's most expensive spice.
Saffron is an excellent source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, selenium, zinc. It also contains several plant-derived chemical compounds that are known to have been antioxidant, disease preventing and health benefiting properties. As it is used for medical treatments for cough, colds, stomach ailments, insomnia, uterine bleeding, scarlet fever, and heart trouble. In traditional medicine, It has been used as an aphrodisiac, immune modulator, antidepressant, a contraceptive, and a menstrual cycle regulator.
Conclusion
Saffron is inherently a valuable spice. When buying this Nobel spice, make sure you're getting an authentic product. Buy It from a trustworthy seller. One KG of 100% pure authentic saffron is selling for 250,000 to 3,00000 in the domestic market. It is always been treated as a delicacy. The Kashmiri saffron is considered the best and it is the most popular type. It has been cultivated in the Kashmir valley for hundreds of years.
Nasreen is the Director پک هدیه کارمندی of E-Commerce at Kashmirica , a handmade luxury brand from Kashmir. From Attar Perfumes to Selling Organic Saffron Online , you can find everything Kashmiri on the site.