Poppy Seeds and the Good It Brings

By Amanda Rush

Are you fond of pastries? If yes, you are most probably well aware of the many food ingredients including the famous seeds baked in or sprinkled in your favorite pastries. If not, then clicking on this page will make you acquainted with important seeds whose facts are interesting enough to have this article devoted for them.

Although pastries are sold in large quantities everyday, many people rarely take time to find out the facts about the poppy seeds sprinkled in these pastries. Only food enthusiasts and people who work as chefs or cook know the important information related to poppy seeds. If you want to be one of the few who know the facts, read on and find out.

Poppy plants are mostly found in Asian regions where the general climate provides for the best temperature for the plants to grow. Poppy seeds, which are found at the head of poppy plants, are small dried seeds that taste like nuts.

Although in the present time poppy seeds are mostly used for cooking foods, during the ancient times they were mainly used for medicinal purposes. In Greece, Hippocrates introduced these seeds to his fellow Greeks as a medicine for insomnia. Todays time, poppy seeds are introduced as herbal remedies for curing coughs, earaches and toothaches. In addition, these seeds are also long known to fight off inflammation, fever, dysentery among other sickness. Hence, it is no wonder why poppy pods are widely cultivated today as much as in the previous centuries.

Poppy seeds are most popular today as food ingredients in different pastries. Most of the time, they are sprinkled in cakes, bread or rolls. Aside from its nutty taste, poppy seeds are very enticing to eat because of the nutrients each seed contains. The seeds contain linoeic acid, oleic acid, and unsaturated fatty acids. Moreover, the seeds have extracts that can be used in cooking and making soaps.

Apart from its health benefits, poppy seeds are perceived to be a symbol of fertility and prosperity. They are used in rituals and as amulets to fight off bad luck and to attract love, money, and luck. Red poppy seeds are also a symbol for fallen warriors.

Poppy seeds may bring a lot of advantages, but they can also be dangerous when taken without knowing its negative effects. Aside from nutrients, poppy seeds contain alkaloids such as morphine and codeine which are addictive. According to health experts, poppy seeds can be eaten when ripe because at that stage alkaloids are only minimal and hardly detrimental to the body. Unripe seeds contain a lot of alkaloids, hence can pose danger to physical and mental health.

Getting all these facts about poppy seeds is definitely beneficial to be able to get the best out of the seeds and get rid of the threats they can pose to our mental and physical health. - 17274

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You can have a sumptuous healthy meal from this great ingredient anytime you want. You have easy access to a great cooking ingredient, the buy poppy pods.