Not Just on Purim: Five Amazing Facts About Poppy Seeds
Prevents constipation, treats kidney stones, and 'scares' away bad cholesterol – here are five particularly interesting facts about poppy seeds, along with an equally important additional fact about their drawbacks.
Poppy seeds belong to the Papaveraceae family and have many soothing healing properties. But caution! They also have a side effect – consuming them in high quantities is dangerous to health and can even lead to death (poppy seeds are used to produce opium and morphine).
Photo: ShutterstockTop
When used in a controlled and smart way, here are 10 effective uses where poppy seeds can help:
Strengthening the Bones
Consuming a teaspoon of poppy seeds a day provides your body with the recommended daily dose of calcium and phosphorus, among others. This helps maintain the health and strength of your teeth. One teaspoon a day also aids in bone-building processes and prevents various bone and joint diseases such as osteoporosis. Poppy seeds contain a decent amount of the mineral manganese, which assists in the formation of the protein collagen, maintaining bone strength and preventing damage.
Preventing Stomach Ulcers and Constipation
As they are rich in dietary fiber, poppy seeds are 'champions' at improving bowel movement and preventing constipation. Many studies have shown that diets rich in dietary fiber are particularly effective. Consuming 100 grams of poppy seeds daily provides the recommended intake of dietary fiber.
Preventing Kidney Stones
This condition of kidney stone formation results from a calcium deficiency in the body. Consuming a teaspoon of poppy seeds a day provides 1,500 milligrams of calcium. For comparison, most cheeses we currently consume do not exceed 500 milligrams of calcium.
Reducing Cholesterol
Poppy seeds are rich in linoleic acid, which, when combined with dietary fiber, creates a great defense against bad cholesterol (known as LDL) while increasing the presence of good cholesterol (HDL). Furthermore, dietary fiber also helps balance blood insulin levels, a fact which itself helps in combating bad cholesterol.
Fighting Heart Disease
Studies have proven that adding poppy seeds to our meals, in various forms, significantly improves heart health and prevents diseases and attacks. Since poppy seeds help in lowering bad cholesterol (as mentioned in the previous section) and maintain normal blood pressure levels, the risk of developing various heart diseases, of which these are the main causes, is automatically reduced.
