Saffron in Lebanon: Prices & Local Shop Review

Saffron is one of the most famous spices in Arabian foods and recipes especially Lebanon ones. You can find different types and quality of saffron from various regions with a great range of prices in Lebanon. We are going to discuss the saffron price in Lebanon in 2024, here.

What is Crocus Sativus?

Actually Crocus Sativus is the botanical name of a lilac flower that saffron threads stay between its petals. Public call this flower as saffron flower or Crocus flower. The threads of saffron that placed there are called saffron stigmas and need to separate and process to make saffron that we know and use.

These saffron stigmas after harvesting and processing would make different types of saffron that we use.

Saffron benefits

The saffron use as a treatment for many diseases from the past, today, and doctors test its properties and accept its positive health effects. In traditional medicine, the petals used as a drug too, but there is no evidence about its effect on the human health and body.

Saffron has a wonderful red color that releases the golden yellow color to all foods, desserts, and beverages. It also has a fragrant aroma that reminds you the heaven. The taste of saffron is like an espresso, well-prepared one. These are the physical properties of saffron. The chemical properties help people to be healthier and in some cases cure them.

Nowadays, doctors and experts recommend adding the safe amount of saffron to your daily diet to be healthier. Saffron used as a treatment of many diseases, but it could help you to avoid diseases.

Lebanese used saffron almost in all their food and desserts. In other words, saffron is one of the usual materials in Lebanese recipes.

Lebanon or the bride of the Middle East

Lebanon is a really beautiful country with lots of nature and forests. Ancients called it the bride of the Middle East. Of course, this name shows also its political and geographical situation in the Middle East.

Lebanon located on the Mediterranean Sea eastern shore, and it is one of the smallest sovereign states in the world with a narrow strip territory. The capital of Lebanon called Beirut.

Lebanon is famous for being the center of trade and culture in Arab worlds. It is also famous for its delicious foods and desserts. Saffron is one of the main materials in the Lebanon cuisine. In addition, saffron as the most expensive spice in the world has a profitable market and Lebanon trade this magic spice as the center of trade in Arab countries.

Lebanon cities and the sunshine spice

Saffron is well known in Lebanon and used in most of the recipes, it means that cities of Lebanon know saffron and use it. We discuss some of them here.

Beirut

The 13^th largest city in the Arab world is the largest city and capital of Lebanon, Beirut. This city located on a peninsula the midpoint of the Mediterranean coast of Lebanon. Beirut as the capital of Lebanon is the seat of its government and plays the main role in the Lebanese economy; it is the important seaport of the country and region.

Saffron tradings starts the way in Lebanon in this city, as you know Lebanon imports saffron. If you visit a restaurant in Beirut you can smell the fragrance and dreamy aroma of saffron from almost all the orders.

Tripoli

The city of the historical stories, Tripoli, you hear this name a lot in the ancient stories. It is located in the north of the country and its capital, Beirut and is the northernmost seaport in the Lebanon; actually, it overlooks the eastern Mediterranean Sea. This city is the second- largest one in Lebanon and the largest and most important city in the north of the country. There are lots of war and stories about Tripoli, in other words Tripoli has many adventures. Due to these adventures, Tripoli sees many different cultures and learns many things, including saffron and its usages.

Byblos

The Byblos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because it is one of the oldest cities in the world. The historical researches showed that Urbanization have begun about the third millennium BC and developed to be a city, there are also evidences that it was in the ancient Byblos the Phoenician alphabet, like ancestor of the Greek, Latin and other Western ones, was developed.

Today, this city placed in the north of Lebanon and the capital, Beirut. This city during the time was experiencing the different cultures like, Egyptian, Phoenician, Assyrian, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Genoese, Mamluk, and Ottoman. You can imagine that during the Persian culture time, saffron entered and stay till today.

The saffron price

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world and you may hear the name of the red gold instead of saffron. All the levels in producing saffron are hard and costly, in addition the weather changes and agricultural conditions would affect saffron price each year.

You can buy saffron in bulk to buy it with cheaper price, like all products buying saffron in bulk is cheaper than retail. You can buy saffron wholesale for your yearly use. Do not worry! Saffron has a long shelf life if its desire conditions are provided. You should store your saffron in an airtight container; the best types of containers for saffron are glass and metal ones. You should keep saffron container in a dark, cold, and dry place. If you buy saffron thread type, each time grind the amount you need and brew it. You cannot store brewed saffron.

The price of saffron in Lebanon

In 2024, you can find and buy saffron in retail in Lebanon in the price range of $3 to $9  per gram. You should also find the saffron price range between $2,850 and $3,300 per kilogram for wholesale buying in Lebanon, in 2024.

Where can I buy saffron in Lebanon?

You can find your saffron almost everywhere in Lebanon. As we mentioned above, saffron is a famous and popular spice in Lebanon, it means that you can find it in the local shops. You can also order your spice from online shops, try to find a trusted one.

Local shops

There are many different local shops in all cities of Lebanon that you can find and buy saffron there; we mention some of them, here, for you.

Tenbelian’s Spices

This a local shop in the Bourj Hammoud in Lebanon, you can find dry fruit and all kinds of spices there. The Tenbelian’s Spices is famous for the mixed spices. They mix the spices and make a new taste and smell. You would find various kinds and types of saffron there.

Souk el Balad

It is a street bazaar that sells fresh fruit, vegetables, spices, and homemade pickles and sweets. You should find various types of saffron here, and you would enjoy visiting this cultural Souk.

Souk el Tayeb

It is an old and cultural street market; you can buy foodstuffs and food there. You can find your magic spice in this market and even receive some recipes too.

Online shops

There are many different online shops all around the world that you can order your sunshine spice and have it at your door. We discuss some of the most famous of them for you.

BuyLebanese

You can find all kinds of spices here. There are other products like herbs, beverages, jam, and Halawa. Saffron is one of the spices that this online shop sells.

Abido.com

This is a Lebanese online shop that you can order spices or find great recipes. You can also see articles about health benefits of the product that this online shop has.

The Ghaaneh brand

The Ghaaneh saffron has almost all types of saffron from the saffron fields in Iran. You can find the best saffron powder under the Ghaaneh brand name; this brand uses the Negin and Super Negin saffron to make the powder. You can see all licenses and ISOs of this brand on the website.

Lebanon Cuisine and the red gold

Lebanon foods and desserts are very famous in the world. There are lots of Lebanese restaurants all around the world. One of the secrets for all chefs is their spice. Saffron is one of theses secret spices of the Lebanese chefs.

Foods like Baba Ghanouj, Tabbbouleh, Shawarma, and Sfeeha needs special spices include saffron. Also there desserts like, Hommus, Baklawa, Sfouf, Meghli, and Ka’ak that need saffron to have wonderful color and fragrant aroma.

Conclusion

Lebanon has especial cuisine and their recipes are famous due to the spices they use. Most terrorists travel there and ask them about their spices and want to buy these magical spices from Lebanese markets. One of these spices is saffron. You can find different kinds and types of saffron in Lebanon and buy it. You can order this sunshine spice from trusted online shops.

FAQs

Which type of saffron has the best quality?

Actually, you can find different quality in various types, but usually higher quality use for the Sargol, Super Negin, Negin and Pushal in this order.

Where can I find saffron grinder?

You can grind your saffron with mortar or any kinds of spice grinders. Usually, the gift boxes of saffron have a traditional grinder as a gift. You can also want the online or local saffron shops give you one.

Can I store saffron oil or saffron water?

You can store saffron water for less than three days in the fridge. And about saffron oil, you should store it in an airtight container can keep it in a cold place like fridge. The shelf life of saffron oil is less than saffron threads.