POPPY SEEDS

Botanical Name: Papaver somniferum

Read about its history, seed, plant description, and its Benefits for Health.

• Poppy seeds have a rich and ancient history dating back to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions, where opium cultivation began. These seeds were highly valued by the Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans for their oil, cake, and wine. Arab traders introduced poppy seeds to the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century AD, where it became a major commercial crop. Poppy seeds have been used in China for over 3,000 years, while in India, they are known as khuskhus and have been used for over 5,000 years as a food source. Poppy seeds have also been an important ingredient in Native American societies for both food and rituals.

• Poppy seeds are now widely used in modern-day foods and beverages, particularly in baked goods like cakes, rolls, muffins, scones, bagels, and pastries. They are also used in a wide variety of Asian, Central, and South American dishes, as well as in Mexican dishes like guacamole, salsas, and tacos. Poppy seeds are also an essential ingredient in many desserts, like baklava, a Middle Eastern pastry, and the Indian sweet shrikhand. They are even used in traditional Thai salads

• Poppy seeds can be eaten both raw and roasted, though the flavor is stronger when roasted. They are also used in savory dishes like Indian curries, Mexican sauces, and guacamole. Additionally, poppy seeds are used in cultural practices in India and Thailand as offerings to appease spirits, and the Chinese use poppies as decorations during the Chinese New Year.

• Poppy seeds, the dried seeds of Papaver somniferum, are a small, white-grey, oily seed that comes from an erect annual herb that is 30-150 cm long with a 0.5-1.5 cm thick stem. The stem is glabrous with a thick waxy coating, and the numerous, alternate leaves spread horizontally, measuring 15-25 cm long. The few, solitary flowers grow on a 10-15 cm long peduncle, and the fruit is a capsule with waxy coating. Poppy is a self-pollinated plant, and the seed is the spice.

• Poppy is cultivated in many countries, including India, Russia, Egypt, Yugoslavia, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, China, Japan, Argentina, Spain, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Portugal for its legal pharmaceutical use. Poppy is also grown illegally for the narcotic trade in Burma, Thailand, and Laos (Golden Triangle) and Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran (Golden Crescent). Poppy is cultivated in temperate and sub-tropical regions and requires well-drained, highly fertile, light black cotton soil having a good percentage of fine sand. In India, it is a licensed crop since the latex of the mature fruit is collected for the production of opium, a narcotic substance.

• Poppy seeds (Khas Khas) are widely used for culinary purposes and are highly nutritious. They are used in bread, cakes, cookies, pastries, curries, sweets, and confectionery. Poppy seeds are also demulcent and are used against constipation. The capsules are used as a sedative against irritant coughing and sleeplessness in the form of syrup or extract. Poppy seeds have been cultivated for thousands of years and have a rich history in various cultural practices and rituals. in conclusion, poppy seeds are a versatile and essential ingredient in many cuisines worldwide

• At Lineark Global, we manufacture, process, trade, and export spices and agricultural commodities. And we are proud to offer a wide range of spice products, including poppy seeds which is sourced and processed with the highest level of expertise, market knowledge, and rich experience in all aspects of supply chain with the help of our team for procurement, cleaning, packaging, and shipment ensuring that our customers receive the best possible product. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services. Our spice products are sourced and processed from the heart of the spice nation, Unjha in Gujarat.

• We are proud to offer a wide range of spice products such as seeds of Cumin, Fennel, Fenugreek, Coriander, Dill, Mustard, Sesame, Pumpkin fresh and seeds, Chia, Caraway, Castor, Nigella Sativa., Psyllium seeds and husk, Turmeric finger, Red Chilli, Black Pepper, Bay leaves, Jaggery, all types of Rice, etc., including Poppy