Safflower's benefits and effects stand out, and its methods of consumption are varied

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is an annual herbaceous plant in the Asteraceae family, also often called caohonghua, and its dried tubular flowers are a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, orange-red in color with a faint fragrance. It is widely cultivated in places such as Xinjiang, Henan and Yunnan. When purchasing, note that it is not the same plant as saffron (Crocus sativus) of the Iridaceae family; the two differ greatly in source and price, so do not confuse them.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, safflower is warm in nature and pungent in taste, entering the heart and liver meridians, and mainly acts to invigorate the blood and unblock menstruation and to dissipate blood stasis and relieve pain; it is often used for dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea and traumatic injuries caused by blood stasis. Besides medicinal use, safflower petals can also yield natural pigments, and in the past they had some use in dyeing and similar applications.

For everyday consumption, a common practice is to take a small amount of dried flowers and steep them in boiling water as a tea, or to add a little when cooking porridge or making soup, and some people also use safflower to make medicinal liquor. In addition, safflower seed oil pressed from safflower seeds is a common edible oil, noted for its high content of unsaturated fatty acids, and is suitable for everyday cooking.

It should be noted that safflower has a fairly pronounced blood-invigorating effect, so it is contraindicated for pregnant women, and people with heavy menstrual flow or a bleeding tendency should also use it with caution; the amount consumed should be small rather than large. Before drinking it long-term or using it in medicinal dishes, it is best to consult a Chinese medicine practitioner first and judge whether it suits your own constitution, to avoid supplementing blindly.