Poppy seeds: health benefits and harms

Since ancient times, poppy seeds have been used in cooking, in cosmetology, have been one of the components for the preparation of medicinal infusions and decoctions. In ancient Greece, poppy was considered a cure for many diseases, revered for its ability to positively affect the brain. Nowadays, few people know about the healing qualities of the plant due to people who created a negative idea about poppy. Often, many are afraid to consume poppy seeds because of a biased opinion about the narcotic effect of the plant. Opium is found only in immature boxes of the plant. Ripe fruits no longer pose any danger.

Composition and calorie content

Poppy seeds contain a large number of useful and important substances for the body. Calorie poppy per 100 grams of product is 556 kcal. The composition contains the most fat.

Chemical composition:

• Fats - 50%.
• Proteins - 20%.
• Essential oils - 45-55%.
• Amino acids.
• Fatty acid.
• Vitamins of group B, as well as C, PP, E.
• Betaine.
• Sterols
• Sugar.
• Magnesium, calcium, zinc, sulfur, iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese.

Due to its rich composition, poppy seeds are used in the confectionery industry, as well as for the preparation of medicines. In folk medicine, all parts of the plant are used: roots, stems, leaves and flowers.

Useful properties of poppy

The medicinal properties of poppy have been known to mankind since the time when there were no chemicals. With the help of poppy seeds, you can benefit the body and get rid of many diseases.

General benefit

1. Poppy seeds have a great effect on digestive function. With their help, you can get rid of diarrhea and dysentery.
2. A natural product will help part with nervous disorders and get rid of insomnia. If you mix poppy seeds with honey, you get a miraculous mixture of stress and depression.
3. Oil is made from poppy seeds, which is used for the preparation of confectionery, in perfumery, in cosmetology, and is used in the manufacture of paints for painting.
4. Poppy-based medications can help relieve sciatic nerve inflammation.

Along with many beneficial effects, poppy seeds have the following positive qualities:

1. They quickly and effectively fight coughing attacks in diseases of the bronchi and lungs. As you know, seizures intensify closer to the night, and poppy helps to calm them.
2. Regular consumption of poppy seeds prevents the development of cancer cells. Scientifically proven: if you use poppy seeds during an illness, you can slow down the further development of cancers.
3. Due to its calcium content, seeds have a positive effect on strengthening bones. Previously, children with rickets were given buns with poppy seeds.
4. A decoction made from poppy seeds is used as an anesthetic. It quickly and effectively relieves toothache and headaches. These seed properties are due to the presence of morphine.
5. With the help of poppy, you can increase immunity, increase the body's resistance to various viral and infectious diseases. With regular use of poppy seeds, the supply of essential vitamins and minerals is ensured.
6. The antioxidants in the composition have a positive effect on human vision. Poppy seeds prevent the formation of changes in the retina associated with age or the development of pathological conditions.

The benefits of poppy seeds are huge.But along with this, one should not forget that, along with healing properties, the product can also harm the body. Therefore, before eating products with poppy seeds or being treated with preparations based on poppy seeds, you should consult your doctor.

Preparations and dishes with poppy seeds have different effects on women and men. This is due to the individual characteristics of the opposite sexes.

For women

Regular use of poppy for the female body is invaluable. Basically, this is expressed in the normalization of the hormonal background and the removal of irritability and anxiety. Frequent headaches, nervousness, and insomnia are characteristic of the weaker sex. The properties of poppy help get rid of these unpleasant problems.

For men

For the body of the stronger sex, the poppy seeds, and other components of the plant, will bring more benefit. The composition of poppy leaves will save you from excessive sweating, it will help to heal small surface wounds faster. Poppy milk will give a charge of vivacity. This is not to say that poppy seeds will not be beneficial to men at all: they will help to say goodbye to insomnia and nervous tension.

Is it possible to poppy pregnant and lactating women

Many people are interested in: can I use poppy seeds during pregnancy? The answer to this question is not unambiguous. The beneficial properties of poppy favorably affect some processes in the body of expectant mothers, but also, at the same time, can be harmful. The benefits of poppy during pregnancy are expressed in the following processes:

1. Due to the high content of proteins and fats, the normal functioning of the internal organs of a pregnant woman occurs.
2. If pregnant women suffer from increased nervous irritability, then poppy seeds will help them cope with alarming symptoms and get rid of insomnia.
3. Poppy seeds can relieve spasms of blood vessels or urinary tract.
4. The poppy contains calcium, which is necessary for building bone tissue. The lack of this element can lead to improper development of the skeleton of the unborn child and other health problems.

When using dishes or poppy-based products, pregnant women should understand that the substances of narcotic origin contained in the product can adversely affect the baby.

You can not eat poppy uncontrollably. Lactating women can start eating poppy seeds when the baby is 4-6 months old. Until this time, it is desirable to abandon the product. Starting to introduce poppy products into the diet, you need to look at the condition of the baby. If the baby does not show an allergic reaction, digestion problems do not start, then you can safely use poppy and then, of course, observing the dosage.

At what age can a baby be given poppy

As mentioned above, for a child's body, poppy seeds bring undoubted benefits. Calcium, which is part of the composition, is involved in the formation of the skeleton, normalizes the functioning of the kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract. However, the high content of codeine and morphine in the product suggests reducing poppy intake to a minimum. Products and buns with poppy seeds can be given to children as soon as they start to eat on their own. At a young age, it is impossible to eat a lot of poppy, so there will be no harm from this.

Poppy seeds in medicine

For medicinal purposes, poppy is used in the form of drugs, decoctions, tinctures. Of course, you cannot cure gout or gastritis by regularly eating poppy seed buns. For therapeutic effects, special preparations are needed. The pharmacological properties of poppy are associated with the alkaloids contained in it, primarily with morphine. It favorably affects the central nervous system, reduces pain, acts as a sleeping pill for insomnia.

With the use of poppy positive effects are noted for many chronic diseases.

With diabetes

Poppy seeds are characterized by beneficial properties that may become important for people with diabetes. Poppy refers to such products that are easily absorbed raw. The vitamins and minerals contained in the poppy make it possible to speed up the metabolism in the body. In diabetes, it is important to provide an optimal load on the work of internal organs. Therefore, the benefits of poppy are obvious, just due to the easy assimilation of the product and saturation of the body with calcium, fats, proteins and other important elements. Diabetics often suffer from insomnia, and poppy seeds quickly cope with this problem.

Important: the glycemic index of poppy seeds is 35 units.

With pancreatitis

Grains of poppy have a positive effect on the digestive system and pancreas as well. Poppy seeds protect the mucous membrane of the pancreas from harmful and dangerous microbes, strengthen the immune system. The possibility of eating poppy depends on the stage of the disease. In the exacerbation phase, patients are prescribed a very strict diet, in which the use of the product is excluded. Despite its analgesic property, poppy seeds are quite high in calories and contain fats, which require a large amount of enzymes to digest.

With gastritis

In the acute form of gastritis, the use of products containing poppy seeds is strictly prohibited. Hard kernels can be irritating to the walls of the stomach. Although if you rub them into gruel and mix with honey, then a small amount of the resulting mixture will help relieve pain in the stomach, and the condition of the body will improve.

For constipation

People suffering from constant constipation try to eat food that has a bowel cleansing effect. Given the astringent properties of seeds, they are not recommended for use with constipation. This can make the problem worse. For constipation, medicinal infusions containing poppy seeds can be used.

With gout

With this disease, salts accumulate in the joints, which causes severe pain in humans. With this diagnosis, it is important to eat right and exclude food that will provoke a deterioration in well-being. Poppy seeds when consumed in small quantities can reduce pain, and also have a calming effect on a person’s condition.

Poppy-based traditional medicine recipes

In folk medicine, all parts of the plant are used. On the basis of leaves, seeds and flowers make various decoctions and infusions. The healing properties of poppy allow you to use it to treat many ailments.

Extracts and infusions based on poppy seeds are used to get rid of headaches and toothaches, with nervous disorders and insomnia, as well as to prevent the appearance of tumors.

Recipe 1
Preparing an infusion of poppy seeds is quite simple. It is necessary to take 5-10 grams of poppy seeds and pour 1 cup of boiled water. The broth must be infused for some time. At one time you need to drink half a glass, adding sugar or honey to the infusion. Ready broth is not necessary to filter, it is allowed to use it directly with seeds. Drinking a decoction is best in the evening before bedtime.

Recipe 2
An infusion of poppy leaves will help with nervous and physical exhaustion, hypertension and colds. Prepare it as follows: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of poppy leaves pour a glass of boiling water and let it brew. It is recommended to use with honey or sugar.

Recipe 3
Poppy seeds in the form of infusion perfectly help get rid of the acute form of hemorrhoids. For cooking, take 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds and pour a glass of boiling water. Let the broth infuse for 1-2 hours. Infusion should be drunk during the day for 3 times.

The use of poppy in cosmetology

Poppy seeds are used in many fields. Cosmetology also can not do without this useful product. A universal and healthy essential oil is produced from poppy seeds, which is made by pressing seeds.The rich composition of the cosmetic product has an invaluable effect on the skin and hair. The oil contains such important elements: oleic, linoleic, stearic and palmitic acids, vitamin E, morphine, codeine and papaverine.

Poppy milk is also used to eliminate cosmetic problems. With its help, a quick healing of wounds and cuts occurs. Lotions with poppy milk will help get rid of edema and circles under the eyes.

Poppy oil: benefits and applications

An excellent tool used in cosmetology is essential poppy seed oil. It is made by cold pressing poppy seeds. With this method, all the nutritional and beneficial properties are preserved in the oil.

1. The product is widely distributed as a basic tool for massage. The soothing properties of the oil help to completely relax, relieve fatigue and general stress of the body.
2. Poppy oil is considered an excellent means to nourish the skin. The epithelium receives the necessary trace elements and vitamins, and is also saturated with moisture. After wiping with oil, the skin acquires elasticity and firmness, and its protective functions increase.
3. Regular use of the oil will strengthen the hair, restore it after damage, as well as increase the strength of the nails.
4. If you apply oil to small wounds or skin lesions, then healing will occur much faster.

The benefits of poppy milk

This healing product has been known since ancient times. Such milk has greater benefits than ordinary cow. For the preparation of poppy milk, it is better to use unripened seeds until they are dry. During this period, the grains are concentrated the highest content of beneficial trace elements and vitamins. The healing product has the following properties:

1. It is an excellent cough remedy for bronchitis.
2. Helps to get rid of skin rashes if the affected areas are treated externally.
3. Normalizes digestion, helps get rid of diarrhea, indigestion.
4. It has antiparasitic properties.
5. It will help normalize the functions of the nervous system with regular use. Active children are recommended to give such milk before bedtime, it favorably affects the nervous system.

How to do

Preparing poppy milk is quite simple. The finished product is not subject to long-term storage, so you do not need to do much at once.

1. It is recommended to pre-soak the poppy seeds in water, preferably at night. So all harmful toxins that could accumulate due to the negative environmental impact will come out from the grains.
2. For 1 glass of water, take 50 grams of poppy seeds, a few seedless dates, you can use honey or sugar.
3. After soaking, strain the seeds and then grind with a coffee grinder or blender.
4. After that, mix the chopped poppy with water and dates and chop again with a blender. The appliance should work until the mixture turns white.

Cooking Poppy Seeds

Everyone knows about the use of poppy in cooking. Every person at least once in his life had to try baking with poppy seeds. Useful grains are added to halva, kefir and yogurts, which improves their taste and nutritional value.

In many countries, poppy is added even to main dishes. In our country, poppy seeds are used in the confectionery industry, in the preparation of sauces or mushroom dishes.

Harm and contraindications

Poppy seeds have a lot of advantages, but, along with benefits for the body, poppy can be harmful, and it is generally contraindicated for some categories of people:

1. Elderly and children under 3 years.
2. To alcohol abusers.
3. Patients with liver disease, asthma and emphysema.

When using poppy seeds, remember that you can not exceed the amount of product. If the dosage is exceeded, the body can become very dependent due to the narcotic components contained in the poppy.

How to choose and store food poppy

When buying poppies, you need to pay attention to the packaging: it should not be transparent. Be sure to probe the goods. There should be no seals or lumps inside. The consistency should be friable.

Poppy should be stored in a well-ventilated and dark room. Grains must be thoroughly dried. Grind the grains immediately before use. It is best to put them in a sealed container. During storage, moisture should not get into the poppy seeds, otherwise the grains may become moldy and begin to rot.

Interesting Facts About Poppies

Many different interesting stories and facts are associated with poppy seeds. In ancient times, it was beautiful flowers that attracted scientists to further study the properties of this attractive plant. Poppy culture is considered one of the oldest spices. The history of the origin of the plant originates from the Neolithic era. Scientists suggest that the homeland of the herbaceous plant is the Mediterranean.

1. In ancient Egypt, poppy was first used as an anesthetic. Residents of the country called him a sleeping potion. They began to grow it in large quantities, but soon noticed that uncontrolled eating of poppy can be harmful.
2. Frankish King Charlemagne believed so much in the miraculous powers of the plant that he forced all peasants to grow poppy in their gardens.
3. The Slavic population attributed magical properties to poppy seeds. People believed that poppy could save from evil spirits. Therefore, from that time many rituals remained with the use of this plant.
4. The Chinese, on the contrary, associate poppy with bad beliefs. This happened due to the fact that they learned to make a drug from a plant.
5. In ancient Greece, poppy was dedicated to the gods Morpheus and Hypnos. In all the old drawings you can see poppy wreaths and bouquets on the heads of the gods. Legend has it that if Morpheus touches a person with a poppy flower, he will immediately fall asleep.
6. For more than one millennium, poppy has been grown, from which potent drugs are made. Opium is obtained from immature boxes where seeds are stored. Then, morphine and codeine are isolated from it, from which painkillers are subsequently made.
7. In Germany, there is an interesting tradition when newlyweds are sprinkled with poppies in shoes at a wedding. They do this so that many children are born in the new family.
8. In the Himalayas there is a special variety of blue color. It has bright blue corollas, and the stamens with pestles are yellow in color. This amazing plant blooms in just 3 weeks.

The beneficial properties of poppy have been studied for a long time. With the help of this amazing culture, you can improve your health, get rid of nervous disorders, improve the functioning of digestion, liver and stomach. But when using it is always necessary to know the measure, observe the dosage.

Photo poppy seeds