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It may be expensive, but eating saffron, which gives food a yellow
colour, is beneficial and it is one food colouring that you won't
mind giving to the family.
Research has shown that saffron, which gives chicken korma and paella
their yellow colour, helps keep vision sharp. Test findings suggest
the spice reverses age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, the most
common cause of blindness in old people.
'Patients' vision improved after taking the saffron pill,' said
Professor Silvia Bisti, of the University of Sydney, who carried out
the research. 'When they were tested with traditional eye charts, a
number of them could read one or two lines smaller than before, while
others reported they could read newspapers and books again.'
The finding is timely as it is thought the number of AMD sufferers
will treble in the next 25 years as the population ages. It currently
affects a quarter of over-60s in the UK and more than half of
over-75s. There are few treatments for the condition - and no cure.
While peripheral vision is not affected, the damage to central vision
leads to many sufferers being registered as blind or partially sighted.
Saffron has actually been used in traditional medicine for centuries
to treat a range of ailments, though Professor Bisti is the first to
look at its effects on eyesight.
In tests carried out in Italy - where saffron is widely cultivated -
pensioners with AMD were given a daily saffron pill for three months
followed by a dummy drug for a further three months. A second group
took the supplements in the reverse order. Twenty-five took part in all.
'All patients experienced improvements in their vision while taking
the saffron pill,' Professor Bisti said. 'But when they stopped
taking it, the effect quickly disappeared.'
Saffron is the world's most expensive spice and can cost £3000
per lb. Ounce for ounce, the best quality saffron can cost more than
gold and is also valued as an aphrodisiac, ant-depressant and
hangover remedy. The chemistry of saffron is quite complex. It is
well-known as an anti- oxidant but no one has explored its effects on
eyesight before, according to Professor Bisti.
She believes saffron, which is widely used in Spanish and Indian
cooking, affects the amount of fat stored by the eye, making vision
cells 'tougher and more resilient'.
Saffron is used in traditional medicine for treating conditions
including cancerous tumours and depression. The spice also has
properties which encourage oxygen flow and prevents cell death.
Researchers are now hoping to discover the ideal dosage. They will
also look at saffron's ability to treat genetic eye diseases that can
cause life-long blindness. |
