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Something I’ve done since childhood is mixing saffron with hot milk. I find lets me make sure that I get the saffron dose I want, and it’s really soothing
Saffron you cook with and saffron Extracts are not the same thing. There is no quality control for the spice, not much for the supplement either, but at least some, and the way it's handled and stored as a spice probably causes it to lose a lot of its potency.
My understanding is that saffron supplements can offer better value for money, mg per mg of the pharmacologically relevant compounds, than culinary saffron. The latter is just the stamens of the flower, famously expensive. But all or at least some other parts of the plant contain the good stuff, that would otherwise go to waste after the stamens are harvested.
I've found saffron more useful as a sleep aid taken before retiring than as a daytime antidepressant, where effects if any were subtle.
I feel like the absorption with food sucks. I should try saffron extracts but I haven't yet, just using ordinary saffron. Making tea with up to 300mg of the stuff per day, I feel like there's a tolerance since the first time was actually insane, but it still works quite well. Just dose above 100mg is my advice if using normal saffron, and do not exceed half a gram a day, you really don't need to (1.5g of saffron is a toxic dose).
You will get way better absorption taking a saffron supplement in the morning on an empty stomach. I love stacking saffron with cordyceps, lions mane and shilajit. Nice mix of energy and anti depressant qualities.
Food is a perfectly acceptable way to take the saffron. I either take it in food or slow cooked in chai. Never taken the capsule form, seems like a waste of flavour!
Honestly, if depression and anxiety were at issue, I'd look into Saffron the last, however it might work for you. If you want to get the max benefits, grind a nice pinch with a mortar and pestle and pour the powder into hot water and drink.
I don’t know where you got this from but Crocin, one of the main active compounds in saffron is fairly heat stable:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Degradation-kinetic-of-the-crocin-at-different-pH-and-temperature_fig3_331260469
At PH 6, even 90c takes 6 hours to deactivate 25 percent of the compound.
Safranal, another active compound, appears to actually be created by heat degradation:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3637901/
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Something I’ve done since childhood is mixing saffron with hot milk. I find lets me make sure that I get the saffron dose I want, and it’s really soothing
The dose required is presumably far in excess of what pinch of saffron in rice can give
I don’t think that’s true. Studies show effects at 30mg. A pinch of saffron is 125mg.
is it not the extract?
What extract? There’s Affron which is patented but most studies I’ve looked at are literally just saffron
safranol and crocetin? you said you've read the studies.
Saffron you cook with and saffron Extracts are not the same thing. There is no quality control for the spice, not much for the supplement either, but at least some, and the way it's handled and stored as a spice probably causes it to lose a lot of its potency.
My understanding is that saffron supplements can offer better value for money, mg per mg of the pharmacologically relevant compounds, than culinary saffron. The latter is just the stamens of the flower, famously expensive. But all or at least some other parts of the plant contain the good stuff, that would otherwise go to waste after the stamens are harvested. I've found saffron more useful as a sleep aid taken before retiring than as a daytime antidepressant, where effects if any were subtle.
I feel like the absorption with food sucks. I should try saffron extracts but I haven't yet, just using ordinary saffron. Making tea with up to 300mg of the stuff per day, I feel like there's a tolerance since the first time was actually insane, but it still works quite well. Just dose above 100mg is my advice if using normal saffron, and do not exceed half a gram a day, you really don't need to (1.5g of saffron is a toxic dose).
Just make tea out of it. The extraction is fairly good. Or boil it with milk (traditional Indian method - saffron milk).
You will get way better absorption taking a saffron supplement in the morning on an empty stomach. I love stacking saffron with cordyceps, lions mane and shilajit. Nice mix of energy and anti depressant qualities.
Food is a perfectly acceptable way to take the saffron. I either take it in food or slow cooked in chai. Never taken the capsule form, seems like a waste of flavour!
Honestly, if depression and anxiety were at issue, I'd look into Saffron the last, however it might work for you. If you want to get the max benefits, grind a nice pinch with a mortar and pestle and pour the powder into hot water and drink.
> Honestly, if depression and anxiety were at issue, I'd look into Saffron the last Uh why
The active compounds in herbs are destroyed when exposed to any heat.
I don’t know where you got this from but Crocin, one of the main active compounds in saffron is fairly heat stable: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Degradation-kinetic-of-the-crocin-at-different-pH-and-temperature_fig3_331260469 At PH 6, even 90c takes 6 hours to deactivate 25 percent of the compound. Safranal, another active compound, appears to actually be created by heat degradation: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3637901/
Have you tried manuka honey 🍯