Saffron for Cooking, Seasoning, Food Coloring, Medicine

Saffron (pronounced /ˈsæfrÉ™n/, /ˈsæfrÉ’n/) is a spice made from the stigma of the flower of the saffron plant. The spice is used in cooking as a seasoning and as a food colouring. Saffron has a bitter taste and smells like hay. This smell is caused by the chemicals picrocrocin and safranal.Saffron also contains a dye, crocin, that gives food a rich golden colour. Saffron is a part of many foods from around the world, and is also used in medicine.
Dried saffron is 65% carbohydrates, 6% fat, 11% protein (table) and 12% water. In a serving of one tablespoon (2 grams), manganese is present as 28% of the Daily Value, while other micronutrients have negligible content (table).