One man’s poison is another man’s meat. The poppy plant that is the cause of spreading the use of drugs all around the world, through its alkaloids and derivatives like morphine and heroin, also gifts precious poppy seeds to our cuisine.
The white poppy seeds are so small that a thousand of them would hardly weigh 0.3 gm. Despite their size, stature and origin, they are highly nutritive, specially against obstinate constipation and in catarrh of the bladder. It is also used in case of diarrhoea, dysentery and scalds. Poppy seed oil, extracted from the seeds, is also used for culinary purposes.
Poppy seeds: A Profile
Latin Name: Papaver somniferum Linn
Indian Names: Khuskhus, Khasksi
Family: Papaveraceae
Distribution: UP, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
Poppy Seed – How to use them
| Ailment | Prescription |
| Dry itch in body, certain types of skin-allergies | Grind poppy seeds with little water. Add some lime juice. Apply on affected areas. |
| Physical weakness | Fry in butter, equal quantities of wheat flour, almond paste and poppy seed paste. Eat this with boiled leaves of fenugreek (methi). |
| Insomnia | Blend about 10 soaked almond-kernels with 3 gm poppy seeds in milk. Smear this paste on soles and palms before going to bed. |
| Dandruff, burning of eyes, body heat, etc. | Grind an onion with 1 tsp each of black pepper and khaskhas in milk. Apply this paste on head. Allow it to dry for 15-20 minutes. Wash in warm water. |
| Haemophilia | Consume more poppy seeds in your normal diet (i.e., in the form of chutneys, curries, sweets). |
| Prickly heat | Grind finely 10gm of poppy seeds with some tender neem leaves in little goat’s milk and apply on affected areas. |
| Sexual debility | Mix equal quantity of wheat seeds, fenugreek (methi) seeds, poppy seeds and soak it in water overnight. Grind it into a paste. To this paste add milk and sugar. Take every day for a few days. |
Caution
Excessive use of poppy seeds heats up the system. It has a sedative effect as well.