The Red Gold of La Mancha .. Saffron ..

[Amyw Profile]

Well said Sue. It annoys me how some foods are pushed as superfoods , or a cure for this or that . A well balanced diet is bound to help the body's overall physical health , but I don't believe any diet or food alone, can cure or heal cancer . I wonder in all these studies, how much saffron one would have to ingest daily for the alleged benefits. It's not really something you can eat by the bucketload

The wellness food trend has been quite dangerous for this. There was a story doing the rounds on Facebook a while back about this vegan blogger who led a scrupulously clean organic only lifestyle , but ended up having no periods and becoming quite ill as a result , and was then outed for eating fish, when she had to confess the diet she'd been advocating for so long had actually adversely harmed her health

[Pampy Profile]

Sue

Amyw - I saw the same report about the vegan blogger - I find it hard to understand why some people make themselves out to be something they're not.

[Rainbow Profile]

Unfortunately everything shows potential as a cancer treatment in the lab - cultured cancer cells are so picky.

Take a tip from a clinical research professional with 42 years experience. If anyone tells you something is a treatment for “cancer”, ask them which one. If you don’t get an immediate, sensible, answer, feel free to ignore them, or even report them if they are a medical professional

Cancer is hundreds of different diseases, all requiring different approaches

Well stated, Sue.
And an earlier post said:

"It has been found that Saffron can have extraordinarily positive effects on:
1) Cancer
2) Alzheimers
3) Obesity"

That really made me wonder who would make a claim like that!!

[Alexandria Profile]

Sue,

Interesting that you have a town called Saffron Walden ..

Yes, one can purchase saffron threads in tiny glass jars in Spain and
Italy.

Regards from Galicia.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

And it might help eyesight? https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... -wellbeing
Sue, I presume you've looked into this closely too.

I don't fear a health claim myself, as a fit and strong individual. Trying to eat well.
But feel so much for vulnerable ill individuals in the line of fire, who will clutch at most things for help.

And a vegan blogger making untenable lies is a ghastly thing to do.


I used saffron in a recent recipe, I had to buy it, but cannot for the life of me remember what the dish was at the moment.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I came across the eyesight claims when I looked for any proper medical research into saffron

The current assorted medical claims mainly seem to come from the manufacturers in Iran of saffron extract, and there seems to be a lack of proper clinical trials

The eyesight claims aren’t particularly convincing, though carotenoids, which as well as vitamin A are many of the orange dyes in food, are undoubtedly good for retinal health. For commercial supplements they are extracted from marigolds and partially modified. Marigold petals are a lot cheaper than saffron.

[Alexandria Profile]

Gil the Painter,

Thank you for posting the article on Saffron,
that was published in The Guardian.



Have a lovely Easter Holiday.

[Joanbunting Profile]

I eat saffron because I like it and also, it has to be said, because it doesn't cost me a lot!!
We have a link here with this morning's dire warnings about processed and red meats.

[Alexandria Profile]

Joan,

Castile La Mancha Saffron in particular is part of our
traditional culinary culture & as Spaniards and Catalans,
Paella and Arroces Caldosos (fishstew rices) are very much a profound part
of our gastronomic diets &
one of the main ingredients
in our rices, is saffron threads.


It is horrorific to think that meat has been toyed with ..

We eat very little red meat
however, when we do it is from
the Basque Country (naturally fed Grass beef cattle & no gmos in
The Basque Country). Their Basque Government prohibits
un-natural alimentation.

The thing with supermarkets is that packaged goods are a scarey story
and we avoid these type of products, for the additives and gmos plus
other horrors that could possibly enter into the scenario ..

Have a lovely weekend.

[jeral Profile]

Member 461, the current scare is a recommendation to eat less red meat as far as I can see. It's been thought for years that red meat might be harmful due to hardening of the arteries and taking too long to pass through the bowel so nothing at all to do with toying with meat or processing or feedstuff given to animals.

It seems to be along the lines that, in the UK at least, we simply don't need the amount of protein from whatever source that tends to be eaten so a recommended plate has only a small amount relative to veg and carbs.

For some reason people in the US can quite happily accommodate a huge amount of meat with very few veg - maybe their physiognomy has evolved differently having been the typical diet for many for a couple of centuries. That might similarly apply in parts of Spain where fish is the primary protein.

[Alexandria Profile]

Jeral,

There are regions of Spain, where meat is eaten more, because the animals are
raised in those regions but we are on the Coast, so fish, shellfish, beans (legumes),
vegetables and rices are more commonplace.
We also have designated hunting seasons wherein,
our feathered and hoofed game are fresh.

Also our climate, has "micro climatic" zones where we raise
an enormous amount of vegetables and our own rices.

There are uncountable regions of Spain that are very
dry and unsuited for cattle.

Yes, the interiors of the western Usa are cattle country.

The problem with the cereals is also, horrendous. And there
is a lot of tampering with packaged goods world wide ..
However, lesser here due to the very strict controls
and our bulk shopping is still done in the main central
markets, which are not supermarkets.

Very different in Spain and Italy.

Yes animal fats are not healthy on a daily
basis especially for people veered toward high
cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Beef, Pork especially charcuterie
and Lamb are fine but not daily ..
The same with sugar or even worse,
faux sugar, Saccharin etcetra.

Well, have a lovely evening.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

The thing with supermarkets is that packaged goods are a scarey story
and we avoid these type of products, for the additives and gmos plus
other horrors that could possibly enter into the scenario ..

I hadn't noticed that Spanish supermarkets were that bad they needed avoiding.
I quite like them, especially the Supermarket Palou.

Our supermarkets here are extremely good.
As a daily cook, I go there pretty much every day.

[Wic Profile]

I like Spanish supermarkets, too. I like Mercadona, which is familiar and easy to use, and in a little town called Turre, near Mojacar, there is a wonderful one. It looks a bit dark and iffy at first glance, but it’s quite Tardis-like inside and sells absolutely everything from newly baked bread, fresh vegetables and meat to teaspoons and yoga mats. You can wander round happily for ages.

[Alexandria Profile]

Wic & Gil The Painter,

As far as Supermarkets go, we prefer El Corte Inglés.

We truly prefer Le Mercat, de La Boqueria for all
our fresh fish and fresh vegetables (no plastic)
and also for our legumes (beans) and cheeses.


We avoid most packaged goods in plastic.


The El Corte Inglés, the new Lidl Bio and
Zero Waste and Makro are more our style ..