Culinary saffron (< 1.5 g/day) has a long history of safe use. At 5 g/day and above, side effects can include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and reduced appetite. 12–20 g/day is considered toxic in older literature. Pregnant women should avoid medicinal doses entirely.
At culinary doses (a pinch per dish)
No expected side effects for most people.
Editor's note
The higher amounts referenced above are concentrated supplement extracts — a different scale entirely from a pinch of threads in tea or rice. Whole threads make it easy to see exactly how much you're using; a pinch is a pinch, and it's obvious when you've added one versus a spoonful, which isn't true of ground saffron.
At supplement doses (≈ 30 mg/day standardized extract)
Generally well-tolerated in trials. Some report mild nausea or headache.
At medicinal doses (≥ 5 g/day)
Avoid. Symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, low appetite, and (rarely) reduced platelet count.
Interactions to discuss with a doctor
- Antidepressants (especially MAOIs and SSRIs)
- Blood thinners (warfarin, aspirin)
- Blood pressure medications
- Diabetes medications
Always ask your doctor before combining.
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