In this article, we’ll explain saffron milk benefits plus we’ll give you an amazing saffron milk recipe. The saffron milk recipe is very popular due to its unique taste and numerous health benefits.

Saffron is a spice derived from the flowers of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). It is known as kumkum and kesar in Hindi. In the Indian subcontinent, saffron milk is popularly known as kesar milk.

In this preparation, saffron is cooked into the milk which brings out the beneficial components of the saffron. 

A Little About Saffron

To produce saffron, the stigmas of this flower are handpicked and then dried and processed into a spice. Only three strands of saffron can be acquired from a single flower. Making saffron is a very labor-intensive process that makes the saffron the most expensive spice in the world. It is the most expensive spice by weight as well.

Despite these facts, saffron is a very popular culinary ingredient worldwide and has many health benefits. It has been a part of the traditional system of medicine called Ayurveda for ages.

It is one of the main ingredients in the popular Ayurvedic herbal oil, kumkumadi tailam. This oil is used to enhance skin texture, impart a natural glow and improve the quality of the skin.

Here’s a very easy saffron milk recipe (kesar milk) which is a great way to add saffron to your diet so you can receive the inherent health benefits of this amazing herb. 

Delicious Saffron Milk Recipe

Follow this recipe to learn how to make saffron milk. When purchasing saffron, be sure to select a high-quality product as imitations may be sold in its place.

Preparation time: 10 -15 minutes
Serving: 1

Ingredients

• One cup milk (You may use either dairy such as cow’s milk* or non-dairy milk like soy, almond, cashew or full-fat canned coconut milk.)
• Saffron (kesar) strands, 8 to 10
• ¼ tsp of cardamom powder (optional)
• Raw sugar, maple syrup, brown rice syrup or coconut sugar (optional)
• Chopped almonds and pistachios for garnishing (optional)

According to Ayurveda, cow’s milk acts as a fat and water-soluble media for the active ingredients in herbs.

In the Ayurvedic texts it is mentioned that herbal medicine should be given with an anupana or vehicle because it helps in easy administration and assists the action of the herb. Milk is considered one of the best vehicles (anupanas) according to Ayurveda.¹ Whether you choose to use cow’s milk or non-dairy milk is up to you. Either way, you’ll still receive the benefits of the saffron.

Steps For Making Saffron Milk

Take one cup of milk in a saucepan and heat it over a medium flame until it comes to a boil. After one boil, add the saffron strands and cardamom powder and simmer over a medium flame for ten minutes. The milk will turn a light golden yellow color.

Add raw sugar, maple syrup or brown rice syrup according to your taste and remove from the heat. Pour the milk into your cup and do not strain out the saffron strands.

Garnish your saffron milk with chopped almonds and chopped pistachios.

Saffron (Crocus Sativus) Nutrition Value Per 100gm

(Source: USDA National Nutrient Database)²

Stay tuned for an amazing graphic that contains the nutritional values of saffron. These number should be used as a guideline only.

Ayurvedic Properties Of Saffron

Rasa (Taste): Katu (Pungent), Tikta (Bitter)³
Gunas (Qualities): Snigdha (Oily)
Veerya (Potency): Ushna (Hot)
Vipaka (Post Digestive Taste): Katu (Pungent)

Saffron Health Benefits According To Ancient Ayurveda

According to dravyaguna vijnana (pharmacopoeia of herbs), saffron has the following benefits.

• It reduces all the vitiated doshas as it is tridoshahara (balance all three doshas).⁴
• It improves skin tone and complexion.⁴
• It has anti-inflammatory properties.⁴
• It has anti-microbial properties.⁴
• It improves vision.⁴
• It acts as a brain tonic.⁴
• It has a sedative effect (as a result it can be useful for insomnia).⁴
• It has analgesic properties.⁴
• It is helpful in improving appetite.⁴
• It improves digestive strength.⁴
• It is helpful in diarrhea.⁴
• It has anti-emetic properties.⁴
• It is a liver tonic.⁴
• It is a cardiac tonic.⁴
• It acts as a diuretic.⁴
• It acts as an aphrodisiac.⁴
• It is helpful in impotence.⁴
• It can increase uterine contractions, but in a particular amount and in a particular manner. This is why it was used to treat difficult labor in ancient times.⁴
• It promotes perspiration.⁴
• It prevents bad odor.⁴
• It is anti-pyretic.⁴
• It is helpful for freckles and melasma, blackheads, pimples, and skin discoloration.⁴
• It is useful in headache.⁴
• It is helpful in wound healing.⁴
• It’s a memory booster.⁴
• It is helpful in rheumatoid arthritis.⁴
• It is helpful in premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrhea.⁴
• It is used as rasayana because it helps in rejuvenating the body and improves the body’s strength and immunity.⁵

To get desired results for a particular health condition, saffron should be used in a particular amount and in a particular way. Consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner for proper advice if you wish to use herbs for a particular health problem.

Chemical Constituents Of Saffron

The chemical constituents of saffron are crocin (responsible for the color), picrocrocin (responsible for the bitter taste), and safranal (responsible for its odor and aroma).

Saffron contains more than 150 volatile and aroma-yielding compounds. It also has many non-volatile active components.⁶ Saffron milk is a great way to include saffron in your diet.

Clinical studies on saffron demonstrate its various properties.

• It has anti-hypertensive activity.⁶
• It has anticonvulsant activity.⁶
• It has an anti-tussive activity.⁶
• It has anti-cancer activity.⁶
• It has an aphrodisiac effect.⁶
• It has an anxiolytic activity.⁶
• It has an anti-depressant effect.⁶
• It improves memory and learning skills.⁶
• It is helpful in neurodegenerative disorders. ⁶
• It is helpful in retinopathy.⁶
• It is helpful in coronary artery disease.⁶
• It has an anti-nociceptive effect (inhibits the sensation of pain). ⁶
  It has an anti-inflammatory effect.⁶

However, these clinical studies require further research because these studies were done in a limited environment.

Please consult a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner before taking saffron milk.

About the Author

Dr. Alka Sharma

Dr. Alka Sharma, BAMS is an Ayurvedic practitioner and an avid learner of the field. She graduated with a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) from Dayanand Ayurvedic College, Jalandhar, Punjab in India. She has been practicing Ayurvedic medicine and doing related work for the last six years. She works as an independent consultant in Ayurveda through online consultancy services. She has a personal app on the Google play store where she consults patients on their health problems following the Ayurveda medical sciences. She additionally has a Masters degree in Business Administration for Health Sciences from Sikkim Manipal University (SMU), India.