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Plant-BasedSpices & Seasonings
🟢Safe

Saffron

Crocus sativus

Saffron is a whole spice, known for its mild flavor profile, and rich in essential nutrients like Trace vitamins, Iron, Manganese.

Regional names

Saffron

Origin

Saffron is cataloged inside the whole spices lane of spices & seasonings.

Native region

Global temperate and subtropical zones

Season

Available year-round depending on form, preservation, or sourcing

Food Combinations & Timing

✅

Safe Combination Profile

It is safe to eat this food item with other food items.

Nutritional profile

Calories

310 kcal / 100 g

Protein

11.4 g

Carbs

65.4 g

Fat

5.9 g

Fiber

3.9 g

Water content

Low

Glycemic index

Negligible in culinary amounts

Vitamins

  • Trace vitamins

Minerals

  • Iron
  • Manganese
  • Calcium

Health benefits

Evidence-aligned highlights

  • Provides key macronutrients and micronutrients that support metabolic vitality.
  • Contributes essential dietary compounds that support tissue structure and recovery.
  • Ready for future custom nutritional mapping.

Flavor notes

Mild

Texture

Crisp

Aroma

Fresh

Pairings

Various flavor pairings

Safety & toxicity

Edible parts

Standard edible portions

Toxic or risky parts

Discard non-food-grade or spoiled forms

Raw vs cooked

Safe to consume according to culinary standards.

Allergies & intolerances

No common allergy warning.

Drug interactions

No major interactions for normal food amounts.

Safe daily limit

Enjoy as part of a balanced diet.

⚠️ Notice: This safety profile is a general guideline. Dietary tolerances differ; consult a healthcare professional for allergies or drug interactions. See our full disclaimer.

Who should avoid & how to handle it

Who should avoid or moderate

  • General population safe.

Preparation & storage

  • Clean: Wash or wipe clean according to the usual market form.
  • Cut: Slice, chop, or portion as needed for your recipe.
  • Cook: Prepared raw or cooked according to recipe preference.
  • Store: Keep in a cool, dry place or refrigerate.
  • Preserve: Freeze or dry for longer storage.

Cuisine & cultural use

Common cuisines

  • Global culinary use

Saffron appears in Global culinary use, often because its flavor structure and prep speed fit both everyday cooking and ceremonial dishes.

Dynamic Substitutions

No alternatives recorded for this specific item. It is chemically or botanically unique in the database.

🌱 Cultivation & Production

Saffron Home Growing Guide

Learn how to grow and cultivate saffron at home, whether you live in an urban apartment or have access to outdoor garden land.

Apartment Friendly

✗ Not Ideal for Apartments

No

Urban Space Advice

Not recommended for apartments unless using specialized dwarf varieties in large, heavy pots.

Difficulty

Hard

Propagation

Grafting (commercial propagation) or seeds (slower growth).

Soil Type

Deep, well-draining garden soil

Watering

Deep watering once a week

Sunlight

Full sun (8+ hours daily)

Best Season

Spring planting; fruits in Summer/Autumn

Step-by-Step Growing Guide

  1. 1

    For garden planting: Choose a sunny spot with deep, fertile, well-draining soil.

  2. 2

    Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and plant at the same depth as the container.

  3. 3

    Water deeply once a week, especially during the first two years and during fruiting.

  4. 4

    Prune annually in late winter to remove dead wood and shape the tree for sun exposure.

Quick recipes

Fast recipes using Saffron

Dessert

Slow-Simmered Rice Kheer

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Traditional Indian dessert made by slow-reducing milk with rice, cardamom, and saffron.

Ingredients

Servings:2
  • 4 cups full-cream milk
  • 1/4 cup basmati rice, soaked
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 10 saffron strands

Nutrition

  • 290 kcal
  • 8 g protein
  • 48 g carbs
  • 8 g fat

Preparation Steps

  1. 1Bring milk to a boil in a heavy pot; add soaked rice.
  2. 2Simmer on low heat for 50 minutes, stirring frequently, until reduced by half.
  3. 3Stir in sugar, cardamom, and saffron; cook for 10 minutes more.

Dessert

Slow Simmered Rice Phirni

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Traditional Punjabi ground-rice pudding slow-cooked with cardamom and saffron.

Ingredients

Servings:2
  • 4 cups milk
  • 3 tbsp ground rice, soaked
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 10 saffron strands

Nutrition

  • 240 kcal
  • 7 g protein
  • 42 g carbs
  • 6 g fat

Preparation Steps

  1. 1Bring milk to a boil; whisk in the ground rice paste.
  2. 2Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, for 45 minutes until thick.
  3. 3Add sugar, cardamom, and saffron; simmer for 10 minutes, then chill.