Spices · Classically cited

Saffron

Kunkuma·कुंकुम

Also called: kesar, zafran, safran

Prized and gently warming — classically held to balance all three doshas, and lend colour and calm.

How Saffron affects your doshas

In Ayurveda a food's effect depends on your constitution. This is the lens the app uses to suggest what to favour and ease off.

Effect of Saffron on each dosha
DoshaSuitabilityNotes
Vata Balancing Calms Vata — favour it when Vata runs high.
Pitta Balancing Calms Pitta — favour it when Pitta runs high.
Kapha Balancing Calms Kapha — favour it when Kapha runs high.

Taste: Pungent, Bitter, Sweet  ·  Potency: Heating (uṣṇa)  ·  Post-digestive: Pungent  ·  Qualities: Light, Oily

Cautions

  • Pregnancy

Large medicinal doses are traditionally cautioned in pregnancy; a pinch in food is the culinary norm.

Classically cited. Directly attested in the classical Ayurvedic corpus.

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