Being a mother is certainly not a very easy task but yet, most women do want to take this responsibility at some point of time in their lives and start family planning accordingly. But with this decision of bringing a new life into the world, comes several other decisions which you have to take. Just as the “negative” in your pregnancy test kit changes to “Positive”, the entire world around you changes, and more often that not, if this is your first time, you are absolutely clueless about what you should do and what you shouldn’t. From your food habits to your lifestyle, everything undergoes a massive change as you begin to think about what impact that can have on your little one.

However, what comes with several advices and suggestions are several myths about what you should do and what you shouldn’t do during pregnancy and what impact those actions can have on your unborn child. Many people are of the opinion that consuming milk with saffron added to it can make your baby fair. The question that arises in this context is that how far this statement is true and scientifically proven. Before we delve into this question, there are certain other facts that we need to know about.

To begin with, we need to know what exactly saffron is. Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus Sativus. Saffron is basically the styles of the flower. A Crocus Sativus flower consists of 3 styles which is a long tube-like structure attached to the ovary of the flower. The pollination occurs through these styles. These styles along with their stigma are plucked from the flower and dried and sold as Kesar/Saffron.

But the fact that consuming saffron when pregnant can make your baby fair is simply a myth and there are no scientific evidences to support this fact at all. Extensive studies have been made to see whether this statement is actually true. Results have inferred that intake of saffron during this period certainly has several health benefits of women. But, it has no effect in any way on the complexion of the unborn child. The baby’s fairness is absolutely governed by the genes of his parents and the amount of melanin present in the skin and saffron does not have much of a role in it. For that matter no amount of consumption of any item in particular can create any effect on the baby’s complexion.

Saffron Milk: Benefits and Side Effects

Benefits of saffron milk

Saffron added to milk however can benefit your health during pregnancy in more ways than one and some of these ways are listed below:

Aids in digestion

Saffron has proved to improve the process of digestion in several ways. As it is, during the period of pregnancy, women tend to suffer more from problems such as improper digestion, acidity, etc. It forms a coat on the gastrointestinal tract, thus preventing such problems. Hence saffron milk is highly suggested during this period as it tends to tackle these problems quite efficiently and quickly.

Acts as an anti-depressant

There are a host of hormonal changes that take place during pregnancy. These often lead women to suffer from mood swings, depression and other psychological problems. It is completely normal to suffer from such problems because the changes that take place are not only physiological but also psychological and societal. Thus, pregnancy increases irritability and possibility of mood swings to a great extent. Consumption of mild with saffron helps improve all these problems and often acts as an anti-depressant.

Improves appetite

Loss of appetite is also another very common problem that women experience while they are pregnant. The main reason for appetite loss during pregnancy is nausea. Due to the nausea, the desire to eat is greatly reduced. The digestive system becomes extremely sluggish during most of the time and hence, the desire to eat reduces considerably. Consumption of milk with saffron helps in restoring appetite to the normal level.

Prevents flatulence and bloating

These are very common problems during pregnancy and consumption of kesar milk or saffronted milk helps prevent these.

Acts as a muscle relaxant

Intake of saffron added to milk also helps in relaxing the muscles which is extremely important during pregnancy. Women tend to have tensed muscles due to several reasons during this period, but saffron can easily drive that away.

Promotes sleep

As the entire process of pregnancy can be very fatiguing for the mother, sufficient amount of sleep is extremely essential for good health of the mother as well as the baby. Saffron, helps in proper sleep and hence its consumption is highly suggested during pregnancy.

However, no food taken in excessive quantities can be good for one’s health. Saffron too is no exception for this. Doctors suggest that intake of more than 10 grams of saffron a day during pregnancy can prove to be detrimental for both the mother and the baby. It may in fact lead to the following side effects:

Side effects of saffron milk

Miscarriages

Saffron increases body’s heat which may lead to abortive conditions. It also triggers movements of the baby which are usually felt after the second trimester. Hence, it should be consumed to a limited extent only.

Allergies

If you experience dry mouth, anxiety, headache and nausea then you may be hypersensitive to saffron. These are simply going to complicate pregnancy. This might mean that you are allergic towards it, and if you have taken it by mistake already, consult a doctor immediately.

If you experience any difficulty as a result of consuming saffron, it is better that you consult your obstetrician or gynaecologist immediately. Never hesitate to consult your doctor in case of any difficulty of this sort.

It is true that under normal circumstances, applying saffron on your skin can increase your glow and radiance as it acts as a beauty product. However, the fact that consuming saffron milk during pregnancy can make your baby fair is undoubtedly a myth and there are absolutely no scientific evidences to support this fact!