Saffron, a plant indigenous to Europe and Asia, is often harvested for it's dried, red stigmas, which are turned into spices and tea. The spice is quite expensive by weight; according to health.learninginfo.org, it requires up to 400,000 stigmas of the saffron plant to concoct 1 k of the rare spice. Although saffron has lost some popularity due to the discovery of more-common and less-expensive herbs and spices, it is reported to have medicinally beneficial effects.
Menstruation Relief
In past years, saffron has been used to induce menstruation in women who did not have regular periods. The tea has also been ingested to reduce bleeding in the uterus and ease the pain caused by menstruation. According to www.home-remedies.info, this tea is not to be used by pregnant women, as it has been known to rarely cause spontaneous abortion of the unborn baby.
Anti-Depressant
Saffron tea has been used to treat depression. Historically, ingesting large amounts of the tea and spice has been reported to cause feelings of happiness and joy. According to eMedTV, one study suggested that ingesting saffron tea would have as much anti-depressant benefits as taking a particular type of over-the-counter medication.
Cancer Prevention
Saffron contains carotenoids and, according to the Home Remedies website, this attribute has been linked to causing toxic reactions in cancerous carcinoma, sarcoma and leukemia cells in humans.
Heart Healthy
According to OrganizedWisdom, saffron tea has been reported to prevent cholesterol buildup in the arteries, which prevents heart disease.
Abdominal Relief
Saffron tea is used to treat mild to severe abdominal pain and upset stomach. The tea also soothes the membranes in the colon.
Lowers Blood Pressure
Saffron tea contains an agent called crocetin, which lowers blood pressure. Because of this attribute, saffron has been used to help reverse high blood pressure.
Expectorant
Saffron tea has been used to induce vomiting and coughing in order to cause stomach, throat or chest relief.
Other Benefits
According to eMedTV, saffron tea has been reportedly used to treat a number of other maladies, including asthma, coughing, dry skin, shock, gas, heartburn, insomnia and premature ejaculation. EMedTV also states that the tea has been reported to cause hair to grow back when applied topically. Health.learninginfo.org mentions that, historically, saffron tea has been allegedly used to induce clairvoyance and psychic ability. The tea has also been known to be an aphrodisiac and, according to historical myths, induces lust in those who eat or drink the spice in large quantities.
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