How Can Saffron Help Your Weight Loss Program?

Of all the world’s natural remedies, saffron must be among the most versatile. Blood circulation problems? Saffron has been used as a circulatory aid for thousands of years. Want clear, glowing skin? Saffron has been a beauty aid since the days of Cleopatra in ancient Egypt. The list of saffron’s health benefits goes on and on.

But did you know that you can also use saffron for weight loss? New studies done at universities around the world have demonstrated saffron’s potential as a weight management tool. In this article, we’ll talk about the whys (and hows) of saffron for weight loss.

Please note: Diets and workout routines should always be carried out under a doctor’s supervision. Before starting any weight loss or exercise regime, you should consult with your physician first. 

Controlling those cravings

If you’re trying to lose weight through calorie restriction or intermittent fasting, you’re bound to run up against the most common challenge faced by dieters: hunger pangs. Those gaps between meals, especially when consuming fewer calories or going longer without eating than before, can test the willpower of even the most dedicated among us.

But this is where saffron can help! A French study found that women who took a saffron extract were less hungry between meals and less likely to give in to cravings and turn to snacks.

So if you’re trying to be good between meals, but are afraid that you’ll cave into temptation and blow your diet with snacking, a little glass of saffron tea might offer the support you need!


The power of mood

It’s no secret that we eat when we’re stressed, anxious, or depressed. That image of eating a whole container of ice cream after a breakup has some foundation in fact, doesn’t it? And while saffron can’t bring back lost love, or make your workday any less demanding, it may be able to prevent emotional overeating.

That’s because saffron is a powerful mood enhancer. In fact, in some parts of the world, saffron is even served at funerals and weddings, in order to lift the spirits of the grieving or increase the happiness of a celebration.

Daily use of saffron can keep you feeling positive and soothe frayed nerves--which in turn makes you far less likely to turn to the cookies and cake for a little bit of sugary self-medication.

How should I brew it?

Most people know how to cook with saffron, but far fewer are aware of the proper way to use saffron for its medicinal properties. In terms of quantity, you should supplement with around 30-50 milligrams per day. But the most important thing is to brew your saffron, so that retains all of its chemical potency.

Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of brewing saffron like tea: in scalding hot water. But saffron is an extremely sensitive substance, and high heat breaks down the delicate bio-compounds that make saffron such a miraculous natural medicine.

So if you want to use saffron for weight loss, or its many other nutritional or medicinal benefits, make sure to use a cold brew method like the one developed by our nutrition scientist and herbal medicine specialist.