Cultivation of Iranian saffron and study of its nutritional properties

 

Saffron with the scientific name of Crocus sativus is a small and perennial plant with a height of 10 to 30 cm. Saffron is of the genus Scrocus and Sativa.

The saffron onion is tuberous and full and has several skins and a white kernel with a flat bottom and protruding buds that produce new flowers and stems from the buds on the onion.

Geographical distribution of saffron in Iran includes Khorasan, Ghaenat, Birjand, Gonabad, Yazd, Kerman, Gilan and Mazandaran provinces. In recent years, saffron has also been cultivated in Karaj and Qom.

Saffron grows in the Mediterranean and West Asia climates in very low rainfall areas of Iran, which has cold winters and hot summers without rain in early autumn.

One of the prominent features of this plant is the appearance of its flower before any other vegetative organs.

It begins to grow in the fall and ends in the spring. Propagation of saffron exclusively by the underground gland of coriander is common.

Harvesting involves picking flowers and separating the stigma from other parts of the flower, and finally drying the stigmas.

The lifespan of flowers is about 3 to 4 days, which is an average length of 2170 flowers per kilo of saffron flowers, and from 78 kg, usually 1 kg of batch saffron is obtained.

At present, all stages of flower picking and stigma separation and saffron technology are done by hand in Iran.

The stigma of the three branches of saffron is its most important commercial part. This part of the flower contains mineral fats and mucilage.

So if you are planning to purchase organic, original and first-hand saffron, do not hesitate to contact Fazel Saffron at (Whatsapp) [phone] or [e-mail] .

We know the best producers of Iranian Saffron and can provide you with competitive prices.

 

How to Brew Iranian Fazel Saffron

Brew Saffron is so simple that at least all women should learn since it is perfect for the peace of mind.

Here Fazel will teach you the best method to brew Iranian Saffron.

We brew saffron to add a nice color to the stews and rice. Apart from the color, Saffron has tons of characteristics which I have explained here.

Fazel Tells you how to Brew Iranian Saffron

The good point is that the Brewed saffron can be kept in the fridge for over one week.

Before brewing the saffron, you should take the strings and grind them well till you have the power of Saffron.

Then put the powder into a tea pot.

Brew the saffron with hot water

Pure hot water into the tea pot that contains the powder of saffron. For one teaspoon of saffron, add half of glass of hot water. Wait for 20 minutes till it is done.

Brew the Saffron with ice

Grind the saffron in a steel bowl and then add some ice cubes and leave it in the room air till it becomes orange.

• To grind the saffron, it is better to use the traditional Iranian style and use a sugar cube to grind.
• To brew saffron with ice, it is better to wait longer till you have a better combination.

To purchase Original Iranian Saffron, please contact Fazel at Whats app: [phone]

10 amazing features of best quality saffron for skin, hair and health

In this article, we want to introduce you to the special features of Iranian saffron. Original Saffron is a valuable herbal spice derived from saffron flower stigma.

Saffron flower is a perennial onion plant with the scientific name "Crocus Sativus".

"Crocus" in Greek means thread and string, which refers to the appearance of saffron flower stigmas. The name saffron, which is called "Saffron" in English, comes from the word bile in Arabic, which means yellow.

Iranian Saffron has many special characters for skin, hair, menstruation and body health and is one of the most expensive agricultural products in the world.

This special spice has been attracting tons of consumers for about a thousand years. Saffron is a native plant of the empty, treeless areas of Greece and grew in the region before it was bred in Europe, Asia and North America.

Saffron flower is a laborious agricultural product, which is why its price increases. The plant has a three-branched stigma in its center that is separated by hand, inserted into the sieve, and enhanced by its heat treatment, aroma and flavor.

This plant is resistant to hot climates and currently Iran is the largest producer of saffron in the world.

Regardless of the natural and specific essences of saffron, this plant has many health benefits, and this is why it is known as an expensive spice. What are the special properties of original saffron?

1 - Properties of saffron to strengthen mental health

Stimulation of the mind and brain is one of the health effects of saffron. Various studies have shown that the stigmas of the plant, which is the original saffron and its petals have similar effects on people's mood and actually act as antidepressants, so the properties of saffron petals are unique.

Safranal and crocin, which are two compounds in saffron, such as dopamine, serotonin and neuropyrinfrine, regulate the nerves and are able to reduce mild to moderate depressive symptoms even without the use of regular psychiatric medications.

A two-month experiment was performed on 40 depressed people in Iran. Some patients were randomly assigned to take 20 mg of Prozac antidepressant daily, and the remaining 20 patients took 15 mg of saffron petals twice a day. The researchers concluded that saffron has similar effects to antidepressants.

It affects the endocrine system and helps reduce stress and anxiety. From time immemorial, people have used saffron to soothe the mind and improve restful sleep due to its soothing properties. Saffron also enhances learning and memory.

In Japan, meanwhile, saffron is packaged in capsules and used to treat forgetfulness and Parkinson's. Crocin prevents problems with dementia, such as Alzheimer's, which occurs as a result of aging.

2 - Prevention of macular degeneration or yellow spot damage

Macular degeneration is a condition that causes blindness in old age due to aging and the destruction of cells in a part of the eye called the macula.

The crocin and croutons found in saffron prevent cell damage and delay the destruction of cells in the eye by age.

3 - Properties of original saffron for the skin

The antioxidants in saffron have anti-aging properties. The properties of saffron for facial skin include softness, flexibility and radiance.

Common uses of saffron can whiten the skin, prevent pimples, remove scars and dark spots on the skin, and other skin blemishes. Saffron contains vitamin B12 and also helps treat cracks and dry lips.

4 - Properties of saffron for hair

Saffron strengthens hair strands from root to tip, preventing hair loss.

If you mix saffron with licorice, you can use this hair tonic to treat alopecia or baldness and hair loss, as well as stimulate faster hair growth.

Saffron improves blood flow to the hair follicles, following the blood flow, more food and oxygen are provided to the hair follicles.

5 - Benefits of saffron for respiratory health

Saffron treats whooping cough and the common cold. It acts as an expectorant and dilutes sputum in the lungs and throat.

Iran’s Saffron is able to act as an anti-inflammatory and stimulant compound. These benefits of saffron can be helpful in treating asthma.

Asthma attacks occur when the respiratory tract is narrowed due to inflammation and saffron can prevent this from happening.

6 - Reduce and relieve pain

Pain relief is one of the valuable benefits of saffron. The saffron volatile substance acts as a painkiller and cures toothache.

Iranian Saffron has antiseptic, soothing and soothing properties, so it is useful for infants and teething babies, and can also improve sleep patterns.

In indigenous areas, saffron is used by residents as a natural and soothing sedative for the nervous system and is able to soothe irritated nerve cells that cause pain.

7 - Properties of saffron in menstruation and hormone health

Premenstrual syndrome is caused by a variety of hormones that can be devastating all the time.

Iranian Saffron can to some extent affect the endocrine system and release some hormones (or nerve chemicals) that are helpful in controlling premenstrual syndrome such as serotonin.

Ceratonin is a happiness hormone that helps reduce the severity of mood swings in women. This food is also useful for late puberty in girls.

8 – Saffron for heart health

Saffron is a rich source of potassium, an important element in maintaining heart health. Potassium dilates and enlarges blood vessels and blood vessels, thus lowering blood pressure.

Potassium in saffron also prevents hardening of the arteries, heart attacks and strokes. As mentioned, saffron contains a substance called crocin, which can regulate blood cholesterol levels, so this spice is very good for heart health.

9 - Original Saffron improves digestion and digestion of food

Saffron also affects stomach upset and bloating and controls the liver and spleen. It is an antispasmodic and helps treat constipation and bloating for any reason.

10 - Saffron affects optimal cellular function

The volatile compounds in saffron effectively neutralize free radicals, and free radicals damage cells.

Saffron contains about 150 biological chemicals, including antioxidants, carotenoids, crocin and saffron, which are helpful in increasing cell growth and repair.

Saffron also contains high levels of potassium and magnesium, which are one of its health benefits.

This strange and organic combination of saffron has also made it a powerful cancer prevention agent that optimizes DNA synthesis and cell proliferation.

What are the main characteristics of original Iranian Saffron?

The market of Saffron is huge and there are plenty of Saffron types in Iran’s market.

So how can we realize that the saffron we are going to purchase is original or fake?

Here I will tell you 4 different characteristics of original Saffron:

Low coloring speed:

If you put the original saffron strands in warm water, they should not turn orange quickly. Saffron first has a soft yellow color and then after a few minutes it becomes bolder and orange.

Saffron shouldn’t be oily:

If you slice and squeeze the original saffron between a piece of paper, it should not leave a oily stain on the paper, and if the oil comes from saffron, it means that oil has been added to make it heavier. Another of the saffron cheats is that some bad merchants add dried and bearded beef to the saffron strands. This method of testing can also prevent this fraud.

Bitter tastes of Saffron:

Take one or two strands of Saffron and bite them between your front teeth. If the taste is bitter, that means the saffron is original. If it tastes salty or sweet, that means they have sprayed soda, sugar or salt to the saffron.

The head of saffron is horn-shaped:

If you look at a strand of Saffron, it should not be like a bar. Take a close look at an original saffron, it is horn-shaped and if not, it is a fraud.
To ensure the originality and purity of saffron, get it directly from the farmers. Contact us.

 

 

Saffron Strengthens the immune system

Regular consumption of saffron increases white blood cells. However, it does not lead to an increase in red blood cells, so problems such as blood concentration may not be due to the effects of excessive consumption of saffron.

Also, preventing viral activity in the cells of the body is another reason to prove saffron claims to boost your immune system.

We are ready to provide our customers with the best quality Iranian saffron.

Please feel free to contact us and ask your questions.

Best Saffron Cultivated in Iran to export

It is well-known in the world that Iran has the best-quality Saffron that exports to thousands of distributors world-wide.
 

 

Saffron position in Iran

Saffron is one of the most valuable agricultural products in Iran.

This crop is considered to be an important export of the country despite the slight need for irrigation and protection.

Given the very favorable climatic conditions of Iran for its cultivation, as well as the growing need to know how to produce this autumn gold, this product prepares for the families of the north-east region of Iran.
 

Saffron cultivation and its importance in the agricultural economy

At present, it can be said that the share of more than 90% of world saffron production in Iran with regard to the area under cultivation - the two provinces of Khorasan Razavi and southern Khorasan - is the result of spending almost twice the current production cost.

If we consider the share of saffron production per hectare at an average of 5 kg (number of crops in the saffron fields during the years 1971 to 1991), we should harvest 6315 hectares of saffron in the two provinces, amounting to more than 315,000 kg of saffron.
 

Serious attention to quality equal to the demand of the customer in recent years has led to the desire of the buyer to be reached to the producer's ear and the quality has improved dramatically.

But we must not forget that the status quo will lead to the emergence of competitors and the gradual loss of the market.

Therefore, continuous change in production conditions to improve quality, reduce cost, increase yield and create saffron-related conversion industries is inevitable.

Finally, saffron life in a part of our country is tied to the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farmer families who stay in the countryside with minimal natural facilities and very little rainfall and can continue their livelihoods.
 

Botanicals of saffron

The saffron, scientifically named Crocus Sativus, belongs to the Iridaceae family.
It is a perennial plant with a height of approximately 30 cm that has long, green leaves such as a leek.

Its underground stem consists of two onions.

These onions are hard, circular, carnivorous and covered with thin brown color membranes.
The saffron flowers are purple, regular and consist of a long tube that leads to three petals and sepals.

Suitable climate for saffron cultivation

Saffron is a semi-tropical plant and grows well in areas with mild winters and hot summers.
Saffron resistance to cold is high but since its growth coincides with autumn, winter and early spring, naturally temperate weather is needed at this time.
 

Suitable land for planting saffron

Since saffron onions have a corm and are fertilized every year, the land should preferably have loamy soil, clay and sandy loam so that they can reproduce easily.
 

Time of planting saffron onions

The best time to plant and transplant saffron onions is in the first half of July. Saffron onions need to be removed from the old land for a maximum of two weeks and planted in the new land.
 

How to plant saffron onions

First, it is necessary to level the ground so that it is perfectly uniform, because in the case of rough terrain, a part of it that is tall will have less water and a part that is hollow will collect extra water.

Dehydration and waterlogging cause uniformity of production at the farm level.

The soil is then irrigated to a low level and spread to the ground at a level of 20 to 30 tonnes per hectare from rotting animal manure (preferably cow manure) and then fertilized with a tractor.

First create a furrow about 20cm deep and 25cm wide, then plant on both sides of the furrow about 7cm long on the groove, making sure the bottom of the bulb is on the ground to prevent rotation. We cut the onion in the soil a little.

After the full width of the land has been planted in this way, the same furrow of the same size as the previous groove will be re-planted 25 cm away from the previous groove and the soil removed from the groove will be laid in the previous groove. It should be planted in the same way.
 

Harvesting and Processing Iranian Saffron

Harvesting the saffron flower is done by hand only.

The best time to harvest the saffron is to make the saffron fragrance and color very early in the morning before the buds open.

Harvesting saffron flowers or buds requires a great deal of patience.

The action of the picking flower is like this to take the tip of the bud and pull the flower out.  

Immediately after saffron separation, drying operations are usually carried out in three ways:

• The best way to dry, which is inexpensive and not time consuming, is to make 4 metal stands of 1-meter height that have 3 or 4 floors 20 cm apart. The floors are made of mesh and portable. Quickly dry the saffron by placing 4 stand next to the heater and at high heat and using the wind or ceiling fan.

• Traditional method: Put the stigma of the flower isolated on the shade on a surface to gradually dry out. In the old days and sometimes nowadays, saffron is dried in the sunlight, which is unnatural and reduces pigmentation, as well as the possibility of contamination with foreign materials, increasing dust and not economical value.

• Testing method (sieve and heater) In this method of drying, some moistened saffron is poured into a sieve-shaped container consisting of a silk mesh and about 50 cm away from heat sources which may be electric or gas. They do not contain smoke and odor, and after drying they are placed in closed containers.

 

How to keep and protect Iranian Saffron

Completely dried saffron should be kept away from light and moisture.

The saffron is stored in a metallic or metallic opaque container at a moderate temperature, as the saffron essential oil is volatile, if it is stored improperly it evaporates over time and reduces its medicinal and taste effects then its quality is lost.

It is recommended not to use plastic containers, especially used nylons, for saffron storage and to ensure that the saffron does not break or crack.
 

Iranian Saffron consumption

• For Food consumption

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), saffron is authorized as a natural dye, and its use as a natural flavoring.

• Medicinal uses of Saffron

Saffron is due to its active ingredients such as Crocin, Crocetin and other types of carotenoids can reduce the tumor state of the tissues and have anti-cancer properties, and can also reduce the serum lipid levels and cause a hypolymphemic state (hypoglycemic) in the blood serum.

It also increases tissue oxygenation and can significantly prevent disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
 

Industrial Use of Iranian Saffron

Saffron is used in the industry to dye silk and yarn

Iran Saffron to Export - How to distinguish pure saffron from fake sample?  

 

Iranian Saffron is well-known around the world since Iran is the first producer of this so-called “Red Gold”. 

 

It is the time to know about the ways of distinguishing pure Saffron from counterfeit sample.

Saffron is a plant that many researchers believe its first home has been Iran and about 65% of its production in the world is in Iran. 

 

The scientific name of saffron is Crocus Sativus.L and is one of the medicinal plants that dates back more than 2500 years ago.

 

It is said to be native to Greece and the Mediterranean region, but many researchers believe that saffron origin belongs to the slopes of the Zagros Mountains, especially the Alvand area in Iran, as the most valuable spice in the world.

 

Saffron has many varieties and about 80 species are mentioned.

 

 

 

Depending on the blooming time different varieties of saffron are divided into three top categories:

 

1. Agricultural saffron (Saffron available in the market), Wild, Caspian, Gilan, Zagros, Long flower, Joghasem and flowering season is in fall.
2. Dogol, Arius and Almea, flowering in spring
3. Purple and Kurkuri saffron, flowering begins in winter.

Environmental requirements of saffron cultivation

 

Saffron is grown in different climates with varying conditions in terms of altitude, temperature variations and air humidity.

 

Saffron cultivation can be found at 2000 meters above sea level.

 

Low temperatures and a decrease in the intensity and duration of light exposure in winter decrease the growth capacity of the plant and hence decrease the growth rate of this plant.

 

But the great advantage of saffron is that it can be cultivated in arid or semi-arid regions where there is scarcity of water in the summer.

 

So saffron is a tropical plant and grows well in areas where temperate climates, hot and dry summers and sunny, autumn and winter are relatively mild.

 

 

The plant needs a little water between 600-700 mm in a growing season, which is related to temperature.

 

Saffron can withstand ambient temperatures of -15 to -20 ° C in winter and 35-40 ° C in summer.

 

The duration of daylighting time has significant effects on saffron flowering. The best lighting duration for this plant is 11 hours.

 

Spring rains have a significant effect on the propagation of new onions, while second rains in late summer or early autumn help to produce flowers that will give the plant good performance.

 

Freezing and raining during flowering are very harmful and can cause a great deal of damage to the yield of the plant. Wet and flooded soils (such as rice cultivation) are not suitable for saffron cultivation, as saffron onions in these soils rapidly decay.

 

Harvesting and yield of saffron

 

Harvesting the saffron product involves picking flowers and removing stigmas (edible red) from other parts of the flower.

 

The time of harvesting of saffron crops varies from climatic conditions of saffron points from late October to late December.

 

Saffron flowers usually appear in late October and gradually increase in number.

The average shelf life of flowers is 3 days if not picked.

 

Usually the flowering period of saffron is about 15 to 20 days and the flowering period is 10 to 15 days.

 

The best time to harvest flowers to preserve the quality and aroma of saffron is early in the morning before buds open.

 

 

Economic position of saffron

 

As the most valuable spice in the world and the most expensive agricultural product, saffron has a special place among export products.

 

At present, Iran is the largest producer and exporter of saffron in the world and more than 65% of the world production of this precious product is devoted to Iran.

Although this valuable spice has been cultivated all over Iran in the past, most of the country's saffron is now produced in Khorasan province (Torbat Heydariyeh, Qain, Birjand and Tabas) and in other provinces the production is lower.

 

In addition to Iran, the main countries producing saffron are India, Greece, Azerbaijan, Spain, Morocco and Italy.

 

At a saffron crop, at the peak of the fifth year's crop yield, about one ton of flowers per hectare is harvested, of which only about thirteen kg of dried saffron can be produced.

 

A solution to identify pure saffron from counterfeit

 

The saffron plant can be squeezed between the fingers and shaped like a ball to see if the round shape is maintained.

 

Because pure saffron is flexible and breaks down quickly when pressed.

 

In addition, if we approach matches with pure saffron, we can see that the pure sample will quickly ignite and hardly leave a trace.

 

While a string of fake saffron burns hard, it throws sparks around, easily extinguishes and leaves considerable residue.

 

 

Here are some of the most common saffron cheats ever made:

 

Cheating method

• Mixing with old saffron extract
• Add flags or creams of filigree and colored flowers
• Add moisture, impregnate with syrup, honey, glycerin, barium sulfate, sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, lactose, starch or glucose, potassium nitrate, sodium brat
• Add parts of other plants such as evergreen flowers, stigmas of other species of saffron, milled red pepper, turmeric