Poppy, the benefits and harms of which are described below, is not only a beautiful ornamental plant, it is also an effective medicine. Mankind has known about the healing properties of the plant since ancient times. Images of flowers were found on the walls of Egyptian tombs. In Greek mythology, he was associated with the goddess of fertility - Demeter and the god of sleep - Hypnos. Flowers were laid on the altar to the latter.
The famous ancient poet Homer, wrote about the plant as a means to dull mental pain. In the East, it was customary to serve poppy tea at funerals in order to relieve grief. The miraculous properties of poppy have been described more than once by the great healers of antiquity. Hippocrates used the plant to treat various pathologies. He characterized poppy as a sleeping pill and narcotic. Galen recommended the use of poppy preparations for the treatment of migraines, dizziness, asthma, coughs, epilepsy, and jaundice.
Now the plant is also widely used. Poppy preparations are used to treat cough, dysentery, diarrhea, and pathology of the genitourinary system. The plant is also used in cooking. The seeds are sprinkled on bakery products. The seeds are ground to a powder consistency, mixed with honey, butter, milk and fillings for pies and rolls are prepared. In addition, poppy oil is prepared from the seeds of the plant, with which salads are seasoned, dough is flavored.
As already mentioned, the poppy is an excellent ornamental plant. Gardeners appreciate it for its amazing beauty and color of flowers, size, ease of growing and care. In addition, poppy has a pleasant aroma. Poppy oil is widely used in cosmetology. It contains vitamin E. Oil is added in the production of soaps and creams.
Botanical characteristics of poppy
Poppy is an annual herb belonging to the Poppy family and reaching a height of sixty or more centimeters. The plant is equipped with a slightly branched stubble rhizome extending deep into the soil, wide stem elliptical ovoid or oblong-ovate sharp-toothed stem-embracing leaves, large oval or rounded purple, red, or pink flowers.
The fruits of the plant are unilocular cylindrical clavate or ovoid capsules. North America, Africa, Eurasia, Europe - the habitat of the plant. Poppy grows on sandy, loamy soils with good drainage, rocky slopes.
How and when is it necessary to harvest plant raw materials?
For the manufacture of medicines use mainly the leaves of the plant. The collection of raw materials is recommended to be carried out during the period of full ripening of the poppy. Rhizomes must be harvested before the bolls are ripe. They must be dug up, washed, crushed, and then laid out on paper to dry. It is advisable to dry the raw materials outdoors under a canopy. In order to speed up the process, you can use a special dryer. You can store blanks for a year, no more.
Poppy - benefit and harm, composition
The plant contains a significant amount of healing substances:
Preparations based on the plant in question have sedative, diaphoretic, astringent, hypnotic, analgesic, hemostatic, antispasmodic, antitumor and antihelminthic properties.
Poppy remedies help:
➡ Insomnia: application of the infusion. Brew ten grams of poppy seeds in boiled water - two hundred milliliters. Insist the product in a thermos for three hours. Drink 100 ml of the filtered beverage before going to bed. You can add some honey to the product if you like.
➡ Fever: poppy seed therapy. Steam twenty grams of dried crushed poppy leaves in two hundred milliliters of boiling water. Let the composition brew. Take ½ cup of the strained drink twice a day.
➡ Poppy as an antidote. This remedy is recommended for insect bites. Lubricate the affected skin with fresh poppy juice.
➡ Bronchitis: decoction therapy. Mix ten grams of poppy seeds with the same amount of creeping thyme and violet flowers. Steam the mixture with freshly boiled water - 200 ml. Boil the product over low heat for a quarter of an hour. Drink 100 ml of the strained drink at least three times a day.
➡ Hemorrhoids: treatment with poppy seed milk. Combine ten grams of poppy seeds with water. Take 50 ml of the drug twice a day.
➡ Poppy in the treatment of liver pathologies. Mix a spoonful of poppy seeds with the same amount of quality honey. Pour in the mixture warm water... Divide the volume into four equal parts and drink during the day.
Poppy in cosmetology
The plant is appreciated not only by cosmetologists, but also by representatives of the fair half of society who take care of themselves. Poppy-based masks help to: moisturize, rejuvenate, tighten, nourish the dermis.
➡ Mask for the combined type of dermis. Pound a spoonful of poppy seeds, and then combine with rice flour - the same amount, olive oil - 10 ml and kefir - 30 ml. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and apply the mass to cleansed face. After a quarter of an hour, wash yourself in cool water.
➡ Mask that nourishes the dermis. Take one kiwi, peel, mash and combine with poppy seeds - 10 g. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Treat the face with the composition. After twenty minutes, wash off the mask with cool water.
➡ Mask for skin rejuvenation. Combine chopped poppy petals with olive oil. Apply to cleansed face for a quarter of an hour. Wash yourself after the procedure.
➡ Preparing a moisturizing lotion. Pour boiling water over 30 grams of finely chopped poppy leaves. Set aside the composition for two hours. After you have filtered the composition, use it to treat the dermis of the face twice a day: in the morning and before going to bed.
Contraindications!
It is strictly forbidden to take poppy-based products for individual intolerance, chronic alcoholism, emphysema of the lungs. Children cannot be treated with poppy medicines. Do not use poppy for medicinal purposes during pregnancy and lactation.
Do not overuse poppy seeds, and do not exceed the dosages indicated in the prescriptions. This can cause deterioration, as well as poisoning. Vomiting, nausea, headaches, malaise, dizziness - signal of poisoning. In this case, the drug should be stopped.
In addition, an overdose of drugs from the plant in question is fraught with damage to the central nervous system. Take care of yourself and be vigilant. Medicines will only be beneficial when used appropriately.
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Poppy is a herbaceous plant with both annual and perennial varieties. Single large flowers on the stem are mostly red, rarely yellow and white. Most people only know about the calming properties of the plant. In fact, poppy seeds, the benefits and harms of which have been known for a long time, are used not only in cooking, but also in pharmaceuticals, perfumery, and oil production.
The chemical composition and calorie content of poppy
Alkaloids, organic acids, flavonoids, oil, anthocyanins, gum, ascorbic acid, glycosides were found in the flowers and petals of the plant.
Poppy seeds contain about 50% fat, vitamins C. E. A and B. They contain a lot of fiber, protein, carbohydrates. They are rich in phosphorus, sodium, potassium, selenium, calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium, manganese and iron.
The energy value of the plant is 520 kilocalories. About 10% of carbohydrates, 13% of proteins, the rest (77%) are fats per 100 grams of edible poppy. The plant is high in calories and does not belong to dietary.
Poppy benefits
This herb is an excellent sedative. However, its usefulness does not stop there. Poppy has a multifaceted effect on the body:
has an anthelmintic effect;
relieves spasmodic cough;
acts as a sleeping pill;
helps to get rid of nervous tension;
helps to raise tone and mood;
increases the protective function in the fight against various infections;
reduces the risk of the formation and progression of cancer cells;
considered an excellent remedy for diarrhea and dysentery;
relieves pain, spasms, inflammation.
Poppy is a natural source of calcium easily assimilated by the body. If a person lacks this mineral, it is enough to eat 50 grams of seeds to make up for its deficiency.
Poppy application
In cooking, only poppy seeds are used. They are used in the preparation of such delicacies as halva. Most often, the seeds are sprinkled with flour baked goods, for example, dryers, rolls, buns, bagels and much more.
The seeds of the plant contain more than 40% poppy oil. The exact percentage depends on the variety. Poppy seed oil is found in some types of margarine. It is used in the production of paints, oils and varnishes.
Poppy fruits - capsules contain papaverine, morphine, and codeine. On their basis, the pharmaceutical industry produces hypnotics, antitussives, antispasmodics, painkillers used in therapy:
ulcerative diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
hepatic and renal colic.
Poppy-based preparations are used to relieve pain in the postoperative period.
In alternative medicine, the plant is used in combination with water or honey. Poppy milk, made from poppy seeds and water, helps with hemorrhoids and pneumonia. They drink it three times a day, 125 ml. Regular use of this home remedy can help normalize digestion. Decoctions made from petals are used in the treatment of catarrh of the stomach, bronchitis, restoring sleep, and from the roots - migraines and inflammation of the sciatic nerve.
The broth is also prepared from powdered dry leaves. To use the remedy for insomnia and mental fatigue, it is brewed on the basis of honey water or milk. To get rid of warts and relieve pain in joints, leaves that are applied to the problem area allow. The juice from the poppy heads is applied to insect bites.
The infusion is especially good for insomnia. It is prepared from seeds, which are poured over a glass of boiling water. For such an amount of water, they take from 5 to 10 grams of raw materials. The resulting preparation is cooled and then filtered. You need to take the remedy before bedtime. The dosage is no more than 50 ml. To improve its taste, it is recommended to add a little honey to the infusion. Poppy seeds pounded with honey also help restore sleep.
Poppy harm
Like other medicinal plants, the effect of poppy is not limited to its benefits, but it can also harm the body. It is necessary to consume the plant in strictly limited quantities, especially if you have:
Poppy is not recommended for use by children under two years old, in old age, alcohol abusers. The high calorie content of the product makes it an unwanted guest on the tables of those who follow the figure, adhere to a strict diet, and suffer from obesity.
Decoctions from immature heads have a negative effect on the nervous system. These drugs are dangerous in that they can make a person addictive.
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Poppy seed oil or poppy seed oil is a vegetable oil. which is obtained by processing the seeds of the plant of the same name. Unique properties Poppy seed oil is used in cooking, medicine, as well as in the manufacturing industry. Poppy seed oil is used in pharmacology for the production of medicines.
Besides, poppy seed oil is a part of soap and various cosmetics... Poppy oil is used in the production of paints and varnishes. In their own way appearance poppy seed oil is a viscous liquid. Remarkably, poppy seed oil can be colorless or have a slight light yellow tint.
Poppy seed oil does not have a pronounced aroma. However, poppy seed oil has a pleasant nutty flavor. The chemical composition of poppy seed oil contains a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids of the Omega-3 type, which, by the way, are considered essential for human body... This state of affairs is due to the fact that this type of acid is not synthesized independently by the human body.
However, maintaining a certain level of essential unsaturated fatty acids is vital to human health and wellness. Poppy seed oil contains linolenic, palmitic, and in addition oleic acids. Besides, chemical composition poppy seed oil is enriched with sterols, volatile compounds and caproic acids. Poppy oil is unique in that. that the product contains a record number of tocopherol compounds.
Poppy seeds contain up to 50% fatty poppy oil. It should be noted that the industrial production of poppy seed oil began only at the beginning of the 20th century. It is interesting that at that time the largest number of poppy plantations was located in Asia, but the main production of oil was located in such European countries as France and Germany.
Poppy seed oil is obtained by cold pressing, so producers keep most useful biologically active compounds. It is noteworthy that the repressing of the seeds of the plant gives a poppy oil, the so-called hot-pressed, which is used in painting. For the first time, people began to use poppy seed oil during the Middle Ages. In those days, the product was obtained by a "handicraft" method and was used as a rule for refueling oil lamps.
In addition, poppy seed oil was used to make oil paper. Over time, people have appreciated the nutritional and medicinal properties poppy seed oil. Not many people know that it is poppy seed oil that is part of iodine and other medicines. In cooking, poppy seed oil is used like other vegetable oils. Sometimes, food manufacturers mix poppy seed and olive oil in order to reduce the cost of the latter.
Poppy oil: Useful properties.
Poppy seed oil contains the largest amount of the following substances necessary for our body:
- Vitamin E (TE), which provides 346.7% of the daily value per 100 g of product, stand out among the vitamins, Vitamin A (RE) - and Vitamin H (biotin) -;
- among the macronutrients, Phosphorus, Chlorine and Sulfur are distinguished (100 g of the product contains. and daily requirement these elements respectively);
Internal use of poppy seed oil is recommended for insomnia, nervous and physical activity, spasms of blood vessels with hypertension, angina pectoris and migraine. Poppy oil is a good nourishing agent for the heart, has a sedative, slightly relaxing effect. Relieves chronic fatigue syndrome.
Well suited as base oil for massage. A very pleasant and completely safe oil, it can be used in its pure form.
Poppy seeds contain minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, iodine, vitamins A, C, D, E, B3, B1, B9, B2, B6. Moreover, calcium compounds are in an easily assimilated form. Poppy oil makes up more than 40% of the seed weight. It is used in cooking and in the food industry, it is included in some varieties of margarine. It is used in the production of varnishes and oils.
Poppy seed oil: Harmful.
In people prone to constipation, poppy seeds can intensify them, and oil can trigger the release of bile, which is harmful for people with gallstone disease. Do not get carried away with the constant use of poppy tinctures as a sleeping pill. Modern man knows very well what harm morphine-based drugs bring to the body. At the same time, poppy seeds are a favorite delicacy of our ancestors. Poppy buns, pies with poppy seeds, etc. were not often on the table, however, no holiday was complete without dishes containing poppy seeds.
Poppy oil: Vitamins.
Poppy seeds contain minerals such as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, iodine, vitamins A, C, D, E, B3, B1, B9, B2, B6. Moreover, calcium compounds are in an easily assimilated form.
The source of origin of poppy oil is poppy seeds sleeping pills or in Latin Papaver somniferum. It is a herb from the genus Poppy (Poppy family). Its height sometimes reaches 1.2 m and has a bluish color and large single flowers located at the tops of the stems. The most valuable thing about it is its oily and fleshy seeds, which contain 50% oil. It is to them that we will focus our attention today. Poppy oil owes its remarkable properties to these seeds. Poppy of this species is a fairly common plant. Today it can be found both in the countries of Southern Europe, for example, in Greece or Italy, and in Asia and Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco). This plant is also considered quite common in Cyprus and the Azores. The oldest references to this product are found during excavations in the southern region of Spain.
Local manuscripts contain culinary recipes using poppy seeds. But in Ancient Greece they were given greater importance, because they were associated with the life of gods, for example, the God of dreams, Hypnos. The Greeks also used poppy seeds in medicine as a pain reliever and sedative. As for the modern value of this plant, then, among other things, it is cultivated in order to obtain poppy oil about the useful and not only properties of which will be discussed further in our review. However, in addition to poppy oil, sleeping pills are used for the manufacture of medicinal raw materials necessary for the production of analgesic, sedative and anticonvulsant drugs. We have poppy blast on our agenda today, and we will dwell on it in more detail.
Poppy seed oil is obtained from plant seeds using the cold pressing method. If the oil is not further refined, it will be possible to preserve the unique aroma of poppy seeds, otherwise it will not be felt. The oil of this plant is yellow in color with different shades from darker to very light. The main area of \u200b\u200bapplication of the product, as we mentioned earlier, is the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. However, in addition to this, it is also successfully used in the chemical industry, for the manufacture of oil paints and in cooking, mainly for dressing salads. It would be a sin not to eat poppy seed oil, because it beneficial features are evident due to the unique composition. Here vitamins A, E and H (biotin) are successfully combined, as well as phosphorus and sulfur with chlorine, which successfully coexist with Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9 unsaturated fatty acids. Poppy seed oil is surprisingly rich in organic compounds - alkaloids, as well as rutin, tocopherol and thiamine. All of them together and each separately are simply irreplaceable for a person and his health.
A truly outstanding composition determines the use of poppy oil:
- Poppy seed oil is used in therapy: it perfectly helps in the treatment of angina pectoris and spasms of blood vessels, to maintain nervous system and normalization of the heart, it demonstrates good results in the fight against dermatitis and psoriasis, it helps well with insomnia. It is believed that the benefit of poppy seed oil is also in the fact that it has a pronounced sedative effect. It is poppy seed oil that is most often used as a basis for applications made from sandalwood, argan and other oils.
- In cosmetology, poppy oil is also popular: it has pronounced regenerative properties, restores skin tone and prevents premature aging, and also cares for the skin of rough feet and elbows. In cosmetology, poppy seed oil helps to solve many problems, including: early skin aging, dehydration, fragility of capillaries, mimic wrinkles, "crow's feet", skin turgor disturbance, the appearance of a vascular network on the face, etc.
- In cooking, it is customary to use poppy oil to add sophistication to dishes made from corn, potatoes, seaweed, and even as an addition to bread. Housewives also love to add it in the process of canning vegetable dressings and when making homemade sauces, including mayonnaise. Take note of the fact that poppy seed oil imparts a particularly delicate flavor and aroma to fish dishes.
- Poppy oil is considered valuable in particular for hair. It is used as an indispensable component in care products for split ends, dry and colored hair. Poppy seed oil has an excellent moisturizing and nourishing effect, sealing split ends and leaving hair with a healthy shine and shine. In addition to the hair itself, this product has an excellent effect on the scalp, relieving excessive dryness and itching, if any. Experts believe that with regular use, poppy seed oil can even get rid of dandruff.
In fact, this list can be continued for a very long time, but the already stated is quite enough to buy poppy seed oil and actively use it in various spheres of life, from culinary masterpieces to hair masks. At the same time, one should not forget that, like any product, poppy seed oil can be both beneficial and harmful. It is better to consult a specialist about how to take and use it, especially when we talk about ingestion. And here we come to an important section concerning contraindications.
Imagine, there are cases when taking poppy seed oil is considered extremely undesirable:
- First of all, it is an individual intolerance to the product;
- It is also not recommended to use it for the elderly;
- The regular intake of poppy seed oil is also dangerous for children under the age of 2 years;
- It does not need to be used by people with alcohol dependence, liver disease and bronchial asthma.
In other cases, the danger is also not excluded, so before starting "treatment" or "rejuvenation" we strongly recommend that you check your compatibility with poppy seed oil through a small dose of the product. Otherwise, poppy seed oil is very useful and valuable, and we have already been able to convince ourselves of this. The main thing in choosing is to be guided by the rule: "less, but better" In other words, when choosing a product, remember that you should pay attention to the date of manufacture, the manufacturer's company and, of course, the quality and tightness of the packaging. Be demanding and get the best out of poppy seed oil and its formulations and products.
Sleeping poppy is a cultivated common plant that has long been used for a variety of purposes, ranging from medicine and cooking, to cosmetology and perfumery. Even in the Middle Ages, freshly squeezed poppy juice or seeds were used as food to relax and calm the nervous system, the first oil lamps were filled with it, and used to make oil paper. Medicine actively uses poppy seed oil for the production of iodine and other drugs, and in cooking it can be successfully replaced with olive or linseed oil.
Composition and production of poppy essential oil
To obtain oil from seeds, the cold press method is used, which allows you to save the greatest percentage of nutrients and trace elements. If you press the same seeds again, you can get hot-pressed poppy oil at the output, which artists actively use in their work.At the exit essential oil poppy is colorless, sometimes has a yellowish or orange tint. In the aroma of the product, you can hear notes of bitter hazelnuts or hazelnuts.
The fatty acid composition of poppy seed oil is similar to sunflower oil; it does not dissolve in water. Also, the received product includes:
- Linoleic (Omega-6) and oleic (Omega-9) acids;
- Stearic and palmitic acid;
- Alkaloids;
- Tocopherols;
- Vitamins of groups E, B, P
Benefits of poppy seed oil for skin and body
For skin care, beauticians often recommend using poppy oil as a base for massage. The calming and relaxing effect of its use has a beneficial effect on the skin, helps relieve stress, short-term depression, fatigue, and helps to establish regular sleep.The tool has found its use among cosmetologists. When applied to the skin, it actively nourishes it with natural ingredients, transdermally saturates the cells with microelements. With the regular use of poppy seed oil to enrich cosmetics, the skin becomes much softer, more elastic, while the hydrolipid balance normalizes, dryness disappears, and various defects and consequences of acne heal faster.
Another interesting point is that poppy seed oil is semi-drying, so the skin always remains slightly moisturized, which gives it a special velvety texture without leaving any greasy marks.
The oil also contains antioxidant components, which helps to prevent early skin aging, smoothes minor wrinkles, increases the elasticity and tone of the dermis. You can get the desired and popular lifting effect thanks to the available and beneficial natural ingredient.
The product is also perfect for sensitive, irritated skin, providing a soothing and anti-inflammatory effect. Cosmetologists recommend applying poppy seed oil to the affected areas due to painful shaving, burns or frostbite, insect bites. The epidermis will quickly regenerate the protective layer, increasing its barrier properties.
Using poppy oil to restore hair
Hairdressers and dermatologists have noticed the benefits of poppy seed oil for hair as well. The tool actively nourishes the hair along the entire length, strengthening the roots and preventing the ends from cutting. Antioxidants help regenerate the finest scales of each hair at the cellular level. Hair oil can be used as an independent product, as well as for enriching conditioners, masks and shampoos. The enriched care products will give your hair a lively shine, retain its natural color, while not weighing down the hair.Poppy-based oil products will help in the active fight against seborrhea and fungus, as they regenerate the scalp.
Contraindications
As a rule, in its pure form, the oil does not cause side effects, and there have been no cases of overdose with the drug. However, people who are allergic to kiwi, hazelnuts, hazelnuts, flax, or sesame seeds may have a characteristic reaction.In order to reduce the allergenic properties of poppy seed oil, you can not use it in its pure form, but only enrich creams, tonics, balms and masks in a standard ratio.
Poppy is associated primarily with delicate red flashes in the summer sea of \u200b\u200bflowers. Previously, poppies and cornflowers were bordered by arable land, but today such a picture is rare due to intensive farming. The related white poppy looks surprisingly different. During the flowering period in June-July, the white poppy fields turn into a bright pink sea of \u200b\u200bflowers. Shortly before the flower bud of the white poppy blooms, this annual plant bends to the ground and straightens again after the petals open. It is a real miracle when from the crumpled flower petals appear silky smooth, delicate petals, which, easily playing in the wind, open towards the sky. The white poppy, which grows up to one meter in height, stands in bloom for about three weeks.
In August, oil-rich seeds ripen in capsules. Unlike other varieties, the top of the box of the white poppy remains closed, therefore this flower is referred to as the so-called closed varieties of poppy. Due to the lack of pigments in the seed coat, the seeds are usually whitish, which gives the white poppy its appropriate name.
White poppy seeds have a nutty flavor and are therefore a favorite ingredient in baking as a nut substitute. Cold pressed white poppy seed oil is used as a high quality food grade vegetable oil and serves as a valuable component of cosmetic products. It is quickly absorbed into the skin, making it very soft, and leaves a pleasant sensation already upon application. White poppy oil helps the skin restore its natural protective function by providing protection from external influences. White poppy belongs to the so-called depleted poppy varieties, since it contains a toxicologically safe amount of opium.
The scientific name Papaver, which includes the word "pap" \u003d "bloat", perfectly describes the shape of the ripe seed pods. The addition "somniferum" from the Latin "somnifer" means "hypnotic, sleep-inducing." The word "poppy", in turn, goes back to the name "Mekona". In the ancient Greek city of Mekon, also known as Sicyon, the Greek mother goddess Demeter found a poppy. Speaking of the history of the white poppy, we primarily mean the sleeping poppy, from which the white poppy emerged as a result of cultivation, as well as the gray and black poppy varieties, which produce gray or bluish-black seeds. The familiar poppy seed cake usually contains black poppy seeds.
The use of the opium poppy can be traced back to the Neolithic era (from about 4800 BC). For example, poppy pods were found in the pile structures of Unteruldingen on Lake Constance. The first written records of poppy cultures are found on Sumerian clay tablets dating from about 3400 BC.
The medical use of poppy as an anesthetic medicinal plant has been known since 3000 BC from the Mesopotamian city of Nineveh in the territory of modern Iraq.
The Greeks and Romans also used the opium poppy, mainly as a hypnotic and intoxicating agent. The Greeks cultivated poppy as a food for its oily seeds, presumably since 850 BC. Eating poppy seeds mixed with honey made it possible to strengthen strength. Moreover, poppy seed oil has been used for a long time as lamp oil. The Turkish city of Afyon served as the center of poppy cultivation in Asia Minor. Poppy or opium in Turkish is still called "afyon". Opium poppy came to the Far East only in the Middle Ages. From the Greek poet Theocritus (circa 270 BC) came the myth that the poppy grew out of the tears of Aphrodite when she mourned her dead young lover Adonis.
Theocritus also calls the poppy the flower of dreams and the personification of the god of dreams Morpheus. Other gods related to sleep are associated with the poppy as a symbol: this is the goddess of the night, Nyx, the god of sleep, Hypnos, as well as Thanatos, the god of death, the twin brother of Hypnos.
Poppy sleeping pills have always attracted interest for two reasons: on the one hand, because of the high value of poppy seeds as a food product, and on the other, because of the milky juice extracted from cut bolls. The opium obtained from this milky juice has served as an important medical assistant since ancient times.
The alkaloids in opium, such as morphine or codeine, have served humans as a powerful pain reliever, anesthetic and vasoconstrictor. After the abuse of poppy as a drug in Germany, a ban was introduced on the cultivation of opium poppy. And only the seeds of newer varieties, which do not contain alkaloids or contain a small amount of them, are again allowed to be used for food.
The Austrian Waldviertel, which currently grows depleted white poppy seeds for oil extraction, is one of the traditional cultivation areas for this crop. Along with Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and the Austrian Mühlfiertel, Waldviertel was one of the most important poppy growing regions in Europe until the end of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. During the Second World War, it was necessary to increase the agricultural cultivation of opium poppy for the German army as a pain reliever.
Were banned traditional dishes with poppy seeds, complementing the menu of every family as a staple food. That is why the inhabitants of Waldviertel jokingly called their traditionally baked poppy strudel "gallows strudel". After the 1950s, the volume of poppy cultivation in Waldviertel declined sharply, and it was not until the 1980s and 1990s that it was rediscovered as a special crop, and depleted poppy varieties have been used since then.
The cultivation of poppy for food production in the Waldviertel has traditionally been women's business... Until the 1950s, peasant women sowed poppy for their own needs on a small fenced plot of land, usually triangular in shape. They cut off the closed ripe poppy pods with a sickle or a small knife, and at home they opened them and collected poppy seeds. With the help of windmills, where the air entering from the side blew out impurities, they sifted and cleaned the seeds from dust, and then pounded them in wooden vessels, mortars or pots. In the Biedermeier era (1815 - 1848) the mill was invented for this last stage of poppy processing, which was mainly used in cities.
Lifting the flower buds bent to the ground after spreading the crumpled petals is like a double gesture of opening and release. Thus, the white poppy personifies the path of the patient with neurodermatitis. A person with this condition may also hang their head down, feeling overwhelmed by itchy, flaky and dry skin that is rough to the touch.
He wants smooth, delicate skin that resembles a white poppy flower. Therefore, the easily absorbed white poppy oil complements the Crystal Herb Face Cream Dr. Hauschka Med. Essential daily treatment for very dry, itchy skin and skin with neurodermatitis, providing tangible care and instant relaxation. A sophisticated combination of oils with white poppy oil and squeezed glacier juice creates a rich face cream that has a long lasting effect. It noticeably softens the skin and relieves dryness and associated itching for a long time. It provides the skin with an invisible and stable protective cover.
Today we can find poppy in different parts of the world in tropical and subtropical regions. In ancient times, poppy juice or seeds were often added to food to calm down, or to small children so that they fell asleep more calmly.
Poppy seed oil is obtained by pressing seeds, and it has amber... Less commonly, light yellow and dark yellow, orange. The aroma of the oil resembles that of nuts or hazelnuts.
Properties and uses of poppy oil
The properties of oil obtained from poppy seeds are similar to those of walnut, flax and hemp oils, and the fatty acid composition is quite similar to sunflower oil.
Poppy seed oil is widely used as a base oil for massage. Thanks to its soothing properties, massage completely relaxes, relieves stress, tension, soothes and relieves chronic irritability and fatigue. Also, poppy seed oil, due to its content, perfectly strengthens hair, scalp, improves the condition of nails.
Poppy oil is considered one of the best nourishing oils for the skin. It not only nourishes the skin and saturates it with essential microelements, but also protects it, makes it softer, increases its elasticity, prevents drying, moisturizes, and helps to quickly heal various damages and defects.
Since the oil does not dry out completely, it belongs to the group of semi-drying oils, due to which the skin acquires a specific velvety texture, while at the same time does not leave the oily base shine.
Possessing antioxidant properties due to its constituents, the oil is excellent for preventing early skin aging, prevents unwanted wrinkles from appearing, makes the skin elastic and soft. Also, the oil relieves the feeling of tightness of the skin due to nutrition and hydration. Also, poppy seed oil has a noticeable lifting effect when used in special face masks.
Poppy seed oil soothes irritated skin, neutralizes irritation, and has anti-inflammatory properties. Thanks to its regenerating properties, the oil restores the damaged layer of the epidermis, strengthening its barrier function, which is important for protection from various influences environment and trace elements that are in the air or water that can harm the skin.
Poppy oil nourishes the hair, prevents it from splitting, makes it strong, and also restores its integrity by regenerating hair scales at the micro level. The oil can be used as a stand-alone hair conditioner, it adds extra shine, volume to hair, adds rich color and removes dullness.
Applying it as a hair mask, the oil softens the hair and removes micro-damage. Also, such an oil remedy for dandruff treatment is indispensable, as it makes the scalp healthier and prevents dandruff from recurring after treatment.
In its pure form, oil usually does not cause any negative reactions, however, allergy sufferers may experience a reaction. There is a risk of allergy if the reaction also manifests itself to hazelnuts, sesame seeds or kiwi, as the similarity and cross-reactivity of these plants is very high.
Thus, poppy seed oil is best suited for enriching creams, balms, various toners, balms and conditioners, as well as for creating masks for the face or hair. The proportions can be very different, but it is best to use standard oil to product ratios.