Written by Editorial Team
“Will drinking Kesar milk during pregnancy make my baby fair?”, is one of the frequently asked questions in many pregnancy forums. Pregnancy is a very crucial stage in a woman’s life and it is also a period when one comes across several myths regarding the diet to be followed to ensure a healthy beautiful baby. It is always recommended to consult your doctor before you add or make any changes to your diet.
Saffron or Kesar Milk is one of the most commonly recommended dietary intake by elders during pregnancy. Their recommendation is backed by their strong belief that the baby would be born fair as a result of consuming Kesar milk. Do you feel the same? Have you ever raised your brow on this thought? If yes, read on to know more.
In This Article
Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus Sativus. Saffron is basically the style of the flower. A Crocus Sativus flower consists of 3 styles which are long tube-like structures attached to the ovary of the flower.
Pollination occurs through these styles. These styles, along with their stigma, are plucked from the flower and dried, and sold as Kesar/Saffron.
The entire process of obtaining Kesar is very laborious and requires highly skilled labor to carry out the task. Considering each flower has only 3 strands and approximately 14000 strands are required to form 1 pound is what makes this spice so expensive.
Saffron has numerous medicinal properties. And, kesar milk also bears the health benefits of kesar as well as milk. Therefore, kesar milk makes a healthy beverage during pregnancy. Saffron, on the other hand, has some negative side effects when consumed in large quantities. As a result, in any preparation, use no more than two to three strands.
Furthermore, in order to reap all of the health benefits and avoid any risk of artificial coloring or impurities, pregnant women should only purchase saffron from a high-quality vendor.
[Read : Drinking Milk During Pregnancy]
Saffron is used as a popular flavoring ingredient in the famous Hyderabadi Biryanis and is often used as a garnishing element in many Indian sweets. Kheer, aamras, flavored milk, rasmalai , thandai, etc are some of the sweets that contain saffron as an essential flavoring ingredient.
Saffron possesses many medicinal benefits. Some of the common uses and benefits are as below:
[Read : Buttermilk During Pregnancy]
A glass of saffron milk is known to do wonders during pregnancy, however, increasing your child’s fairness or beauty isn’t one among them. Sorry to burst the myth, but it is a fact.
The baby’s fairness is absolutely governed by the genes of the parents and the amount of melanin present in the skin and saffron does not have much of a role in it. There are no scientific studies that prove that saffron makes your baby fair.
Milk is a rich source of proteins and calcium which is required during pregnancy. Adding a few strands of saffron to your milk during pregnancy has many benefits that can help you have a trouble-free pregnancy. These include:
Saffron can be harmful to a healthy pregnancy if not taken moderately. Your chances of exceeding the limit of saffron intake are especially high when you add it to milk.
If you are experiencing any of the above issues, it is best to avoid saffron.
Saffron can be consumed through consuming sweets that are garnished with it or food like Biryani where they are popularly used. However, for daily take of saffron during pregnancy one can have it along with a glass of milk.
Warm the milk to the desired temperature and add two, three strands of saffron to it. Wait for a few seconds and you will notice the change in color of the liquid. This shows that the saffron is slowly dissolving in the milk.
You may drink the milk after a few seconds along with the saffron strands in it.
Pregnant women can start drinking saffron milk at any time during their pregnancy. However, it is better to avoid saffron during the first trimester, which is the delicate phase of pregnancy.
Ayurveda recommends consuming saffron only after the fourth month of pregnancy. Precisely, when you begin to feel the baby move in your womb.
Saffron milk is best consumed first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. You can even drink it after dinner.
Please ensure you have no more than 2-3 strands during your pregnancy. Excess consumption can have a drowsy effect on you. Saffron is not to be consumed by anyone suffering from bipolar disorder.
We hope you found the above article of use to you and it answers your queries. Before you include saffron in your diet for daily intake it is best to consult your doctor. Many women are influenced by the elders in their family to adhere to a particular diet during their pregnancy.
But, every individual is different and their bodily functions vary from person to person. What suits your body may not suit someone else. So before you adopt any hearsay elements in your daily diet during pregnancy let your doctors know about it.
If you wish to share your experience with us or add any more to the above content, please feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments box below.
Yes, it can. It can help reducing your acidity and gas. This aids in better digestion.
Yes you can. It helps to reduce lung inflammations. Apart from helping with your cold, saffron has other medicinal benefits to offer too.
Saffron is very good for your skin. It can help your skin glow and slow down the ageing process. Sometimes nothing can prevent those stretch marks.
This myth has no scientific backing but is followed by many. The skin colour of a human is influenced by the genes. No matter what you eat or don’t eat, your baby’s skin colour is determined by its genes.
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