The history of poppy seed cultivation is an interesting one. Poppy seeds were used medicinally for centuries, but it wasn't until the Industrial Revolution that they became a global commodity. The first mill to process poppy seeds was founded in 1836, and now Western Europe imports two-thirds of its supplies from Turkey. In the US, farmers produce about 10% of what is needed domestically, while Mexico produces 50%. It's estimated that by 2020 there will be a shortage of raw materials due to increased demand from Asia and Africa as well as population growth within many countries.
- Poppy seeds are the most common plant in the world and a great source of linoleic acid, vitamin B and potassium.
- They can be used to enhance the flavour and texture of food, as well as for medicinal purposes like soothing sore throats or even treating blood disorders that affect red cells in many parts of Asia.
- In some regions they are also sprinkled over sweets such as cakes, wafers or cookies before baking them - this is sometimes called toppings, but it's really more than just a garnish!
- Poppy seeds have been cultivated since antiquity because their oil has high levels of Omega-s which help make fish oils more bioavailable, walnuts, flaxseed (a good substitute), hemp seed and chia all provide significant amounts.
- The first poppy seed cultivation was from Asia Minor, which is now modern-day Turkey.
- Poppy seeds were used medicinally for centuries, but it wasn't until the Industrial Revolution that they became a global commodity.
- The first mill to process poppy seed was founded in 1836 and now Western Europe imports two-thirds of its supply from Turkey.
- The Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides wrote about poppy seeds in his Materia Medica, which was written around 70AD.
- He said that the seeds were used to provide relief from stomach aches and flatulence, as well as for pain of childbirth.
- The seeds were also used for respiratory problems, to treat the bites of poisonous animals and to relieve pain from canker sores.
- For many centuries, poppy seed was a valuable commodity because it had medicinal properties as well as being an important food source.
According to research conducted by Oregon State University in 2010, "poppy seeds are one of the most widely consumed analgesic agents in human history." This could be due to their tendency to soothe sore throats or even treating blood disorders that affect red cells in many parts of Asia.
- In ancient Rome, opium was extracted from poppy pods for medicinal purposes.
- There was a resurgence in opium production around 1750 when morphine and codeine were isolated from raw opium, which is processed by heating it with lime to produce "poppy tea."
- However, this kind of processing has been illegal since 1920 because these substances can have addictive properties if used for too long or too frequently.
This means that most people don't eat whole poppy pods any more - they use them as decoration on cakes, wafers or cookies before baking them - but some foodies like their crunchy texture so much that they'll even roast those up just like you would almonds!
5) Opium has been used to treat pain since it was discovered by Chinese physicians more than 2,000 years ago.
- In China, it's been used to treat everything from malaria to diarrhoea since at least 600AD.
- It has many uses beyond being an analgesic - it can be used as a sedative or even for treating intestinal worms.
- More recently, opium mixed with other substances like milk sugar (lactose) is sometimes consumed orally or topically by patients who need relief from chronic abdominal pain caused by irritable bowel syndrome. Doctors may also prescribe suppositories made of dry opium extract.
6) In America, the use of opium increased after the Civil War when soldiers returned home with addiction to morphine or laudanum (a mixture of alcohol and opiates) from medical treatments on the battlefield.
- The US government believed that opium could be a valuable medicinal and pharmaceutical drug, so they started importing it from Turkey in 1883 to help with addiction rates among soldiers.
Americans have been using poppy seeds for centuries because of their high levels of Omega-s which give fish oils bioavailability, walnuts, flaxseed (a good substitute), hemp seed and chia all provide significant amounts as well.
The first mill to process poppy seed was founded in 1836 and now Western Europe imports two-thirds of its supply from Turkey, but America has also used them since at least 1883 when the country imported one tonne of Turkish Opium annually for medical use - morphine or laudan
7) The addictive properties of opium made it an attractive recreational drug during Prohibition because it could be manufactured at home without being detected by authorities, but its use was only widespread for a few decades.
- In the 1960s, it became illegal because of increased drug abuse in America and other countries around the world.
This is now what most people think about when they hear "poppy seed" - as decoration on cakes, wafers or cookies before baking them with some foodies even roasting those up just like you would almonds.
8) Today's usage of heroin is a derivative of opium and often starts as prescription pain medication abuse before progressing into addiction.
- So the best thing to do is avoid raw poppy seeds, heroin - and other drugs of addiction.
You can use poppy seeds in your cooking, as decoration on cakes or wafers before baking them. But be careful - they may contain opium, which is the root of heroin and other drugs! This means that most people don't eat whole poppy pods any more - instead, they're used for decoration purposes only. Opium became illegal because it was so easy to make at home without getting caught by authorities; this lead to increased drug abuse around the world in the 1960s when its usage became widespread.
Today's usage still comes from a derivative (opiate) rather than raw poppy seeds themselves.
Poppy seeds are cultivated by many people for their use in cooking and baking. You can even buy poppy seeds online if you want to get them without having to leave your home! The history of poppy seed cultivation dates back thousands of years, with the earliest known record from Ancient Greece. With so much information about this interesting topic available on the Internet, it shouldn’t be difficult to find more details that interest you. If you need help cooking or finding a recipe that uses poppy seeds, we have plenty of those as well! Browse our website today for all your poppy seed needs