What are the health benefits of saffron

[tammybear]

I know that saffron makes stuff taste good. My favorite rice is saffron rice. However, is there any health benefit to this herb? Better still, is it beneficial for weight loss at all?

[kellykatt]

Some people think it is. Aside from being used as a spice it's also commonly sold as a dietary supplement as a weight loss aid, believe it or not. The biggest claim is that saffron is supposed to help control cravings and prevent overreating associated with weight gain.

Unfortunately, there isn't sufficient evidence to prove that this is true...so who knows who beneficial it is for weight loss, really.

[ChristySmiles]

It is supposed to help with appetite control. Some studies have actually found that it helps people to feel less hungry after they've taken it for several weeks. So it looks like it could possibly work, but you shouldn't expect it to happen right away and you'll still need to watch your calorie intake and exercise and all that jazz.

[tammybear]

That's interesting. I was kind of expecting to find out that it offered no weight loss benefits at all. Appetite suppression doesn't sound bad. I think I might eat more saffron to see if it does actually help to control cravings...although a lot of the time when I eat it I eat Indian food (which I love) and I can't say I lose my appetite when I eat that food...I only crave more haha!

[Maggie]

I think it makes sense that it would offer some benefit because it's so expensive lol! Why is it always the stuff that's going to put a hole in your wallet that is good for you??