Saffron or Kesar is a highly useful spice. Not only does it act as a food colorant but it also has various health benefits. It is native to India, Morocco, Iran and Greece and holds a great medicinal value in these areas. Growing saffron requires intensive labor as it is grown by hand, which makes it highly expensive, and rightly so– a single pound of Saffron is produced from 75,000 blooms.
Saffron’s many therapeutic effects include relief from anxiety and depression, Alzheimer’s disease, menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome, and inflammation. It also has a distinct smell which is used to make fragrances.
Consuming saffron is safe for all age groups and it is quite easy to be included in your dietary regimen. You must opt for the best quality of saffron for best results, one of its most famous varieties is Kashmir saffron . There are a few markers to be kept in mind when you are on the lookout for original saffron, some of which have been mentioned below –
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Use its branches distinguish
To tell the difference between real and fake saffron, look at the branches first. This is the most straightforward approach for determining whether or not saffron is genuine. Saffron is divided into three branches, the uppermost of which resembles a trumpet. As you progress up the trumpet, you’ll find that it becomes narrower.
Through its smell
Saffron has a lovely aroma, according to several experts. It has a unique aroma and if you have smelt real saffron at least once you won’t forget its fragrance. It is not completely sweet smelling. Saffron smells both sweet and bitter. The scent of authentic saffron, according to one saffron grower, is “a combination of earth, tobacco, vanilla, honey, salty sweet.” Make sure to take a whiff of the saffron you decide to buy to make sure it is genuine.
Closely inspect its appearance
The strands of saffron are in the shape of a trumpet. If the saffron is not an original, its string won’t flare at one end. Make sure to feel the saffron with your fingers, if it leaves an orangish-yellow tinge on your skin, it is the original saffron.
Try tasting it
Saffron has a flavor that’s easily distinguishable. It may smell sweet but it has a bitter taste to it, keep that in mind.
Test it in water
Place the saffron threads in a bowl filled with lukewarm water. Allow at least 15 minutes to pass. If the saffron is truly genuine, the water will gradually become yellow. It could take quite a long time for the colour to change. The crimson hue of the saffron threads is retained, they don’t change colour. The product is not saffron if the water turns yellow too soon, or if it becomes red instead. If no colour is dissolved in the water change, or if the threads lose their colour, the saffron is a fake. If you keep the saffron strands between your fingers after soaking them in water, they are likely to stay intact. As for fake ones, they are prone to crumble.
How it interacts with baking soda
Saffron and baking soda should be combined in a small container, then water should be poured over the mixture, according to numerous sources. If the stuff changes colour to yellow, it’s genuine saffron. Kashmir saffron is the best saffron you can go out.
Comparing prices
If the saffron is too cheap, there is a high probability of it being fake. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world, it is not easily sold at prices that are too low.
Does it float or drown?
When saffron strands are submerged in water, they do not drown. They appear to float. Due to the weight of artificial coloring or flowery wastes on them, fake saffron is likely to partially or entirely drown in water.
