Saffron (kesar) supposedly lowers cortisol, boosts serotonin, and improves sleep — best taken in warm milk or herbal tea.
The full read
Saffron has a real but partial scientific basis. On mood and anxiety: a meta-analysis of 5 clinical trials shows efficacy comparable to antidepressants (fluoxetine) at 30mg/day, and a recent controlled trial (Jackson et al., 2020, n=56) confirms mood improvement and a buffered acute stress response. On cortisol specifically, the picture is murkier: a double-blind crossover trial (2023) found that safranal delays the peak of salivary cortisol during a standardized stress test without reducing its absolute size; a more recent trial (2025, n=56 medical students) found no significant difference in salivary cortisol between saffron and placebo, despite a downward trend. So saffron acts more clearly on perceived stress and mood than on cortisol itself, contrary to what the post claims. Verdict: mixed — the anxiety/mood benefits are well supported, the specific cortisol effect remains uncertain.
mixedthe post