Sleepy poppy (Papaver somniferum)
The sleeping poppy is mostly known due to the opium that is extracted from it. That's why it's often called opium poppy. It is a herbaceous one-year-old plant that reaches a height of about 1 meter. It is believed that the motherland of the sleeping poppy is the Eastern Mediterranean, but nowadays it is widespread in almost all of Europe and Asia. The stem of the plant is grayish - greenish, covered with hard lint. The leaves in the lower part of the stem are large and on separate lobes, and at the top are smaller, enveloping the stem. The colors are relatively large - white or red. The fruit is a box in which the amount of biologically active substances of maca - alkaloids, are at their highest content. They are contained in milk juice called latex, which leaks by making cuts of fruit cans. The withered milk juice is squeezed and alkaloids are extracted from it, the main of which is morphine, known to everyone. Its use is large and subject to strict control. Morphine remains an indispensable opioid analgesic that acts at the central level - it binds to specific receptors in the brain, as a result of which it causes a number of effects on the body. In addition to analgesic action, alkaloid also has a sleepy effect, hence the name of the maca. Morphine is also used in the pharmaceutical industry as a feedstock to obtain other substances with pharmacological effects. For alkaloids extracted from opium, the information is extensive, but the focus of this topic is poppy seeds.
Poppy seeds are rich in nutrients
Seeds of the sleeping poppy contain important trace elements, vitamins, minerals, fiber, vegetable fats and in a smaller amount of protein. Fiber stimulates motor skills of the intestine, the thus improving digestion and condition in constipation. Of the trace elements the highest is the content of manganese and copper, which are involved in important physiological and biochemical processes in the body. They also contain zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, calcium. Poppy oil, which is obtained most often by cold pressing of seeds, is rich in omega acids ( omega-6 , omega-9 and in a smaller amount of omega-3). They contribute to maintaining cholesterol in norms and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Antioxidant action of poppy seeds
Poppy seeds are rich in polyphenols - biologically active substances that are some of the most common and known antioxidants. Their action is expressed in the destruction of free radicals, which are harmful to the body. This prevents the occurrence of oxidative stress in the body, which would lead to the unlocking of certain diseases, such as cardiovascular or tumour. [ref. 1]
Poppy oil improves skin condition
The mono- and polyunsaturated fats contained in poppy oil bring benefits to the body both externally and internally. As already mentioned, omega fatty acids reduce the risk of heart attack and other heart disease, but poppy oil intake should be moderate. Studies show that the oil applied to the skin has a beneficial effect - it helps heal wounds and prevents the occurrence of scaly lesions on the skin. More evidence of these effects is needed. [Ref. 2]
Consumption and safety of poppy seeds and poppy oil
The sleeping poppy is poisonous except for seeds that are edible and useful in small quantities. However, it is important to buy poppy seeds from checked locations in order to avoid the consumption of seeds that may be contaminated during harvesting or from pests that turn out to be poisonous (contaminated with alkaloids). Before use, they must be washed and should not be used in large quantities. There is no set dose for daily intake of poppy seed, but the amount in the baked or in dishes is enough.
In general, the intake of poppy seeds and poppy oil is safe, but hypersensitivity reactions (allergy, anaphylactic shock) may occur. In this case, medical attention should be sought. The application of oil to the skin is also well tolerable, but if a rash, itching or redness occurs, it should be discontinued.
Interestingly, after consuming poppy seeds, an opium drug test can positive. Up to 48 hours after the use of the seeds, morphine and codeine can be found in the urine. [ref. 3]
