Poppy seed, (Papaver somniferum). ID: 299-49

The poppy seed, refers to the ancient medical texts of many cultures.

For example, an Egyptian papyrus called Ebers Papyrus , written around 1550 BC, lists poppy seeds as a sedative.

The Minoan civilization (approximately 2700 to 1450 BC), a Bronze Age civilization, born on the island of Crete, growing poppies for their seeds.

Sumerians are another culture that developed poppy seeds.

Poppy seeds have long been used as a folk remedy to aid sleep, promote fertility and wealth, and even provide supposedly magical powers to invisibility.

These seeds come from the poppy flower (which belongs to the Papaveraceae family), the same flower used to make morphine.

But poppy seeds are extracted from the pods and are completely harmless.

They have a mild taste that makes them a welcome addition to a variety of dishes, but they also offer many nutrients to the body.

The aroma of the poppy seed is slightly sweet, with notes of nuts, reminiscent mainly of almond, hazelnut and sesame.

Its taste fills our mouths with notes of nuts, which are mainly reminiscent of almond, hazelnut and sesame and leaves a sweet and bitter aftertaste on the palate.

When cooked, the taste and aroma intensify.

Whole poppy seeds are widely used as a spice and in decoration, inside and on top of many bakery products such as poppy seed muffins, rusks, bagels, in various sweets, breads and buns, adding a delicious and crunchy note.

In cooking, it goes well with eggplants, green beans, cauliflower, zucchini, potatoes, pasta, fish and meat.
Also add it to your milk or yogurt, try it with almond, hazelnut or soy milk, with chocolate drink or with fruit juices.

Combines perfectly with ginger, cardamom, fresh mint and cinnamon.

Therapeutic:

Contains many phytochemicals that have been found to have antioxidant activity.

The seeds are particularly rich in oleic and linoleic acids. Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, helps lower bad LDL cholesterol and raises good HDL levels in the blood.

The outer shell of the poppy seed is a good source of fiber.

It is a rich source of B vitamins such as thiamine, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid. Many of these vitamins act as cofactors in the metabolism of the substrate, especially fat and carbohydrates in the human body.

Poppy seeds contain sufficient amounts of minerals such as iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium.

Poppy seeds contain very low levels of opium alkaloids such as morphine, thebaine, codene, papaverine, etc. which have beneficial effects on the human body, soothing nervous irritability and acting as painkillers.

If you suffer from insomnia or fatigue, poppy seeds contain compounds that help produce neurotransmitters.

Poppy seeds also contain manganese, which is known to help produce collagen, the protein that protects bones.

Eating poppy seeds, which are rich in zinc, helps boost the immune system.

Side effects:

It is recommended to be consumed with caution by people suffering from hay fever (spring allergy)