Poppy Seeds - Food For Fertility

Author: Maryam Ayres Time for reading: ~2 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

What are the beneficial properties of poppy seeds and when were they discovered?

With its dense and pleasant taste, poppy seed is a popular food and healthy culinary spice. It is obtained from the dried fruits of the sleeping poppy - Papaver somniferum , called " Afion " in the Bulgarian lands .

The sleeping poppy is an oil-bearing plant, with its seeds containing over 50% essential oils , as well as products for extracting drugs and opium - the milk juice of the cup of poppy contains dozens of alkaloids, including morphine and codeine .

The ancient Egyptians were the first people to have historical evidence that they cultivated poppy specifically for its medicinal uses. Through Arab traders, the practice spread to Persia and India, which are the largest producers of opium today. Poppy is also grown in many Mediterranean countries - Turkey, France, Italy, as well as in large areas of Eastern Europe, where it most often grows wild.

As a dietary supplement, poppy seeds are a powerful antioxidant . Its rich aroma is due to a variety of fatty acids and essential oils, representing over 50% of its weight. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid that lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol and raises "good" HDL cholesterol. Monounsaturated acids reduce the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease and maintain healthy blood lipid levels.

Poppy seeds are also an excellent source of fiber - 100 g of raw seeds contain 19.5 g of fiber or 51% of the recommended daily allowance. The metabolic inertness of the fibers in the digestive system increases the feeling of satiety and contributes to the good water balance of the processed food, which reduces the likelihood of and alleviates the condition of constipation.

Fiber also binds to bile salts , a product of cholesterol metabolism, and reduces their reabsorption in the colon. This further lowers blood levels of LDL cholesterol.

The seeds are also an excellent source of B complex vitamins - thiamine, pyridoxine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid.

The mineral content of iron, copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and magnesium also complements any diet and provides the necessary building blocks for the production of red blood cells, cofactors and enzymes.

Poppy seeds are extremely useful for men, because with their combination of zinc and other minerals, it is especially conducive to good spermatogenesis - the development of male gametes.

In addition to food, poppy seeds can be used as an ingredient in decoctions and teas for coughs, toothaches and chronic headaches.

Poppy Seeds - Food For Fertility

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