Saffron The World’s Most Expensive Spice

DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.

Saffron is the vibrant red part of the Crocus Sativus Flower that offers a range of potential health benefits due to its rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Saffron’s Long History of Use 

Saffron has a long history of medicinal use for thousands of years. It has been used in various cultures for a variety of issues such as respiratory issues, depression, digestive problems, and even as potential cancer treatment. 

For more than 3,500 years, saffron has been treasured in Persia, the Mediterranean, and Asia not only as a spice, but as a ritual dye, perfume, medicine, and symbol of luxury. (1)

Saffron’s Bioactive Compounds

The 3 Main Components of Saffron:

• Crocin: Hydrophilic (water-loving) carotenoid that makes up about 80% of saffron’s chemical makeup. These are responsible for the yellow pigmentation of saffron stigmas.
• Picrocrocin: A colorless monoterpene glycoside that gives saffron the subtly sweet, floral, earthy, slightly bitter taste.
• Safranal: Volatile monoterpene aldehyde provides the subtle honey-like, musky, warm aroma in saffron essential oil (Safranal is the most described saffron compound for its action on serotonin amplification).
  

These active compounds in saffron influence brain chemistry by modulating neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. Research suggests saffron’s antidepressent effects are comparable to conventional SSRIs like fluoxetine. (2)

Other Important Components:

• Flavonoids (large class of plant compounds known for antioxidant activity): Include quercetin, kaempferol and the glycosidic derivatives which possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Anthocyanins (Natural, water-soluble pigments): Pigments found in saffron petals and are also linked to antioxidant activity.
• Vitamins: Saffron contains trace amounts of B1 (riboflavin), B2 (thiamine), B6, A, and C.
• Minerals: Key minerals in saffron consist of calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, and more.
• Amino Acids and Protein: These contribute to saffron’s nutritional value.

All of these compounds found in saffron work by scavenging free radicals, reducing inflammation, and modulating various pathways involved in cell health and signaling. (3)

Why We Use Safr’Inside®

Modern science has captured saffron’s traditional wisdom in extracts such as Safr’Inside®, designed to deliver these compounds more effectively.

Safr’Inside® is a patented saffron extract developed by Activ’Inside. It is a 100% pure Persian extract of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Safr’Inside® is distinguished by its high concentration of safranal, a key metabolite believed to reduce stress. 

Safr’Inside® has 10 times more safranal than non-encapsulated saffron extracts.

Clinically proven benefits of Safr’Inside® include reduced stress, improved mood, restorative sleep, and overall wellbeing through its effects on the microbiota-gut-brain axis. (4)

Research confirms saffron’s antidepressant and anxiolytic properties, with studies showing improvements in mood among both healthy individuals and those experiencing depression or anxiety. (5)

Beyond mood and sleep, research shows saffron may also regulate stress-related hormones by balancing the HPA axis and delaying cortisol and cortisone peaks. (6)

Another study showed that saffron intake improves heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of parasympathetic activity and overall resilience. (7)

Safr’Inside® is a hero ingredient in Joyful Humans, My Vagus Nerve BALANCE™ sublingual tincture - our tincture was formulated to encourage parasympathetic balance through the synergistic blend of Safr’Inside®, GABABLISS™ (Ayurvedic Adaptogens, Neuroactive Botanicals), 24k Colloidal Gold, Green Tea L-Theanine, Manuka Honey, Trace Minerals, Blue Lotus Flower and a proprietary Terpene Stack to nourish your microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Since saffron is considered a GABA agonist (enhance the effects of GABA) it is a key factor to its property of regulating mood, sleep, and anxiety. (8)

At Joyful Humans, we choose patented, clinically proven ingredients like Safr’Inside - your joy and wellbeing deserve the highest standard of care.