How much saffron is that, really?
Three questions, in the order people actually ask them: how much do I need, how much is that, and what is it worth. Every measured figure here comes from a named source, listed at the foot of the page — and where a number is a matter of taste rather than measurement, it says so.
1How much do you need?
You need about 40 threads, which is roughly 0.091 g.
Thread counts per serving are a matter of taste, not a measurement — a strong batch goes further than a tired one. Every other figure on this page is sourced.
2How much is that?
What went into it
Each flower carries 3 stigmas. Those two figures — 440 threads and 150 flowers to the gram — come from separate measurements and agree with each other, which is the reason this page can show its working rather than ask to be trusted.
3What is it worth?
The market today
- UN Comtrade Trade statistics 091020, country 364
And what did you pay?
That is 0% of the published premium reference of US$5,000 per kilogram.
Premium grades regularly trade above US$5,000 per kilogram at wholesale, so retail sits higher again. A price far under that is worth a second look: saffron is among the most adulterated foods in the world, and the cheapest explanation for a cheap price is usually the right one.
No exchange rates are applied. The figures above are in whatever currency you entered; the reference is quoted in US dollars and compared only when you are already in them.
Reference table
| Amount | Threads | Flowers | Picking time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 mg | 13 | 5 | 4 seconds |
| 100 mg | 44 | 15 | 14 seconds |
| 250 mg | 110 | 38 | 36 seconds |
| 500 mg | 220 | 75 | 1.2 minutes |
| 1 g | 440 | 150 | 2.4 minutes |
| 2 g | 880 | 300 | 4.8 minutes |
| 5 g | 2,200 | 750 | 12 minutes |
| 10 g | 4,400 | 1,500 | 24 minutes |
| 1 ounce | 12,474 | 4,253 | 68 minutes |
| 100 g | 44,000 | 15,000 | 4.0 hours |
| 1 kilogram | 440,000 | 150,000 | 40 hours |
Where these numbers come from
Origin record
Saffron
Saffron is the dried crimson stigma of Crocus sativus, a plant that cannot reproduce without human hands. Around 440,000 stigmas make one kilogram, every one of…
Read the record
Frequently asked
How many saffron threads are in one gram?
About 440 threads. That follows from the 440,000 hand-picked stigmas it takes to make a kilogram, which puts a single dried thread at roughly 2.27 mg.
How many flowers does it take to make one gram of saffron?
About 150 flowers. Each one carries 3 stigmas, and every stigma is cut out by hand, which is the whole reason saffron costs what it does.
How many threads are in a 30 mg sachet?
Roughly 13 threads, from about thirteen flowers. Sachets at this weight are common in supermarkets and are usually the most expensive way to buy saffron by weight.
How much should a gram of saffron cost?
Premium grades regularly trade above US$5.00 per gram at wholesale, so a retail gram sits higher again. A price far below that is worth questioning: saffron is among the most adulterated foods in the world.
How long does it take to pick a gram of saffron?
About 2.4 minutes of picking, before any of the cleaning, separating or drying. Forty hours of labour go into a single kilogram.
How much saffron should I use in a recipe?
Most recipes land near ten threads a serving, with five for a light colour and twenty where saffron is meant to lead. That is a matter of taste rather than a measured constant, unlike the harvest figures on this page, and a strong batch goes further than a tired one. Soak the threads in a little warm liquid first; the colour and aroma come out of the thread and into the dish.
How do I tell whether I overpaid?
Work out what you paid per gram and compare it with the published premium reference of about US$5.00. Sitting near or above it is what premium saffron costs. Sitting far under it is worth a second look, because saffron is among the most adulterated foods in the world and the cheapest explanation for a cheap price is usually the right one.
Is a teaspoon a reliable way to measure saffron?
No. Threads vary in length and pack loosely, so a spoon measures volume rather than the thing you paid for. Weigh it, or count threads for small amounts.
Where every figure comes from
- 440,000 stigmas and 150,000 flowers per kilogram, and forty hours of picking Wikipedia, Saffron
- Three stigmas per flower, hand-picked before maturity Encyclopaedia Britannica, Saffron
- Crocus sativus, the botanical identity behind every figure here Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Harvest ratios vary with variety, season and how carefully the stigmas are separated. These are published averages, and they are the right tool for judging a purchase rather than for settling a contract.