To obtain an essence for improving peripheral blood stream by extracting saffron or tissue cultured saffron with a solvent.

This essence is obtained by extracting saffron with a solvent such as water or an alcohol, preferably with a water-ethanol mixed solvent after refluxing with heat or still standing. Or a tissue of saffron as stigma, bulb, leaf, flower or the like is taken out and the taken-out tissue is cultured and the cultured product is extracted with a solvent in the same manner to collect the objective essence for improving the peripheral blood stream. The essence is admixed to prepare the objective peripheral blood stream-improving agent and a functional food product. The agent or food product is ingested to improve blood stream and is useful for prevention and treatment of poor circulation, limb numbness, diabetes, menopausal disorders, rheumatism, neuralgia, varix and brains function hypometabolic state all of which are caused by peripheral circulation disorders.