Poppy plants have been around for a long time and are used for many different purposes. Poppy flowers are commonly white or yellow. Poppy seeds are small, round, slightly blue-black or light gray depending on the growing conditions. Poppy seeds are used in dishes and according to research, they bring many health benefits such as treating asthma and insomnia.
1. Nutritional value rich in antioxidants
Similar to other nutritious seeds, poppy seeds are rich in fiber, fat and many other ingredients. On average, in 9 grams of seeds, the body can receive:
- Energy: 46 calories
- Protein 1.6 g
- Fat: 3.7 g
- Carbs: 2.5 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Manganese: 26% DV
- Copper: 16% DV
- Calcium: 10% DV
- Magnesium: 7% DV
- Phosphorus: 6% DV
- Zinc: 6% DV
- Thiamine: 6% DV
- Iron: 5% DV
Poppy seeds are quite rich in manganese, which is also an important element in strengthening bone health and the blood clotting process. At the same time, this mineral helps the body absorb amino acids, fats, carbs, which are also minerals necessary to create connective tissue and transport iron.
Poppy seeds can be cold pressed to extract oil to provide omega 6 - omega 9 fats. According to research, a diet rich in healthy fats has a positive effect on people with cardiovascular disease.
However, consuming too much omega-6 fat can lead to the risk of inflammation and some dangerous diseases. Therefore, you should not absorb this substance regularly to protect your body's resistance.
2. Poppy seeds contain painkillers
Poppy plants contain morphine, codeine, thebaine and alkaloids with pain-relieving, soothing and sleep-inducing properties. These substances are often found in some pharmaceuticals with the same uses. Alkaloids are usually milky white liquids, so they are called poppy latex. Poppy seeds or opium seeds do not contain natural opium compounds, but due to the harvesting process or pests, they can be transformed.
Therefore, before being sold, poppy seed powder or poppy seeds are cleaned to remove any opium components that have accidentally come into contact. However, you can buy unwashed poppy seeds that contain higher levels of opioids. This is often recommended as a substitute for some natural herbs in pharmaceutical drugs.
Unwashed poppy seeds can cause serious health problems. Therefore, you need to carefully consult and get advice from experts when using them to avoid the danger of unwanted accidents.
3. Improve skin and heart health
Poppy seed oil is especially rich in unsaturated fats that are beneficial for your heart and skin. Recent studies have shown that a diet rich in unsaturated fats can minimize the risk of heart attack or stroke by up to 17%. Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats is said to bring many positive benefits to the body.
However, you should not eat too much fat because it is also the cause of inflammation and some unwanted diseases. According to research, poppy seed oil can heal wounds and prevent damage when applied directly to the skin. However, this effect still needs to be studied more to make the most accurate and safe announcement.
3.1 Promote digestion
Poppy seeds contain a sufficient amount of fiber to improve intestinal health. At the same time, you also reduce the risk of constipation due to a lack of fiber when using poppy seeds.
3.2 Prevent some diseases
Antioxidants in poppy seeds can protect the body from cell damage and the risk of many different diseases.
3.3 Enhance fertility
According to some studies, women after using products extracted from poppy seed oil through the fallopian tubes can improve their reproductive function to some extent.
4. Some risks when using poppy seeds you need to pay attention to
We often think that poppy seeds are safe and trustworthy. However, sometimes you still risk encountering unwanted risks when using these seeds such as:
Used as a sleep aid
Opium latex contains opioid compounds that help create a feeling of good sleep. Therefore, some people use poppy tea as a natural insomnia treatment. However, that is when the poppy seeds are pure. Most products sold in supermarkets are cleaned and lose their sleep-inducing effects.
If you use raw poppy seeds that have not been tested, it will be extremely dangerous. They can cause death because they contain morphine, which affects your health. Therefore, it is not recommended to treat insomnia with poppy seeds
Contains ingredients of banned addictive substances
Based on tests of people who ate poppy seeds, after using them, their bodies tested positive for drugs. The time they remained in the body for testing was up to 48 hours. Therefore, even if the seeds sold in supermarkets have been cleaned, you should not use too much to avoid dangerous addiction to your health
Side effects that threaten your health
Most poppy seed products on the market are addictive and pain-relieving. If you overdose, you will increase the risk of death. Therefore, when using them, you need the intervention of medical supervision to ensure maximum safety for your body. Similar to poppy seed oil when applied to the skin, if you experience skin irritation, itching, etc., you should stop using them immediately.
Poppy seeds are foods rich in nutrients, especially manganese. These seeds can increase reproductive function and support the digestive system. Although detailed studies on the effects of poppy seeds have not yet come to the most accurate conclusion, this is still a type of seed that is good for health.
However, when using poppy seeds, you need to pay attention and have medical supervision to be protected in time when an accident occurs. Sometimes, cakes in supermarkets can also contain a certain amount of poppy seeds that you do not know. Be careful when choosing food to avoid bad risks affecting your health. If you are still not sure, you can have regular health checks to grasp specific changes in body indexes.
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Reference source: healthline.com
