12/07/2025
this doctor’s postpartum kitchen staple - saffron (scroll down for my sunny yellow post partum soup recipe & right for my little sweetheart);
Recent studies reveal that saffron can significantly aid mothers battling mild to moderate postpartum depression (PPD). In a double-blind placebo trial, breastfeeding moms taking 15mg of saffron twice daily experienced a remarkable 96% remission rate at 4 and 8 weeks, compared to just 43% in the placebo group. In another trial saffron showed similar effectiveness to a common SSRI, fluoxetine, but without the side effects often reported with pharmaceuticals.
This doctor mama went through it (!!!) mentally post partum so I am so grateful that I had safe herbal support like this from nature’s mood boosting tool kit to help me through those early months of motherhood. I encourage you to chat with your ND about standardized saffron supplements before stating anything new post partum, but you can dig into this nourishing saffron soup for new moms asap;
- 3 cups bone broth
- 1 can coconut milk
- 4 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 inch ginger, grated
- 1 tbs turmeric powder
- 1 tsp saffron threads (soaked in 2 tbs warm water)
- 1 can organic BPA-free chickpeas
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 1 large bunch lacinato kale, cut into long strips
- salt + pepper
add oil to a large Dutch oven along with the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, saffron (include soaking water), salt & pepper. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add rinsed chickpeas to pot an cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until some of the chickpeas begin to brown. Add the coconut milk and bone broth to the pot and simmer on low-medium heat for about 25 minutes until the chickpeas are well cooked. Add the red lentils and cook for an additional 10 minutes, finish with chopped greens.
