Blue poppy seeds are an indispensable ingredient in baked goods, adding a crunchy crunch that complements their delicious nutty flavor and is rich in dietary fiber and minerals. Check out the Best info about Dried poppy pods.
Case studies reveal that seeds may be misused and lead to addiction and withdrawal symptoms; clinicians should be aware of this potential hazard.
Health Benefits
Poppy seeds are rich in polyphenols, natural plant compounds that offer numerous health advantages. Poppy seeds contain calcium, phosphorus, and copper, which contribute to bone health, blood clotting, and trace amounts of vitamin C, manganese, and zinc – essential to overall wellness. Poppy seeds can be enjoyed as part of daily meals like muffins, scones, or pasta once prepared properly and safely consumed.
Unwashed poppy seeds have been linked to at least 12 deaths across the U.S. over recent years due to high levels of opioids found within them. Food and health watchdog group Center for Science in the Public Interest is demanding federal agencies crack down on sales of these unregulated seeds; additionally, they have launched a website detailing potential hazards of using poppy seeds.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning letter to companies selling poppy seed products that may be illegal. The warning states that their websites and labels “establish that this product is intended for treating, mitigating or preventing disease.” To comply with FDA requirements before being sold to the public, all drugs must be approved before being made available for sale.
An unwashed bag of poppy seeds contains large amounts of opium that can be smoked or used to produce tea proven to induce euphoria and reduce pain. Opium is made from papaver somniferous dried seeds. It contains alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, noscapine, and thebaine, which produce similar effects as heroin and addictive qualities and potential side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, depression, respiratory problems, etc.
A 43-year-old Australian woman sought advice from an addiction specialist after drinking large quantities of poppy seed tea. She had previously used intravenous heroin for more than ten years, switching to poppy seed tea to manage withdrawal symptoms; unfortunately, she then developed an addiction and sought treatment – her doctor recommended treatment in a residential rehab facility.
Opioid Content
Poppy seeds are an indispensable ingredient in baked goods and other foods, but they can also be used to produce opium, an opioid drug used for treating pain and nausea. Poppy plants contain alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, and thebaine, which can be extracted by roasting the seeds without washing first, creating poppy seed tea that contains enough opioid content that abrupt cessation will lead to intoxication and withdrawal symptoms if taken without warning. This risk makes making poppy seed tea at home even riskier!
Poppy seeds do not directly contain opioids; however, they have long been known to contaminate urine with opioid metabolites and may thereby produce positive test results on drug tests. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration has begun cracking down on vendors of poppy seeds, mandating that they be sold with disclaimers that state they should not be used to obtain an opioid high or alleviate heroin withdrawal symptoms. One vendor named Poppy Seed Wash Site received a letter from the FDA warning that their claims constitute it as a drug product requiring medical approval processes before sale or distribution.
Deaths caused by drinking poppy seed tea to get high have prompted lawmakers and the FDA to call for more outstanding education for clinicians and more warning labels on commercially available poppy seeds. A study published by the Australian Medical Journal suggests that poppy seed tea is not new. Still, it is under-recognized, leading to addiction and withdrawal symptoms when consumed regularly.
The research authors admitted that their study involved only a limited number of participants who consumed large quantities of tea brewed in large batches, suggesting future research include more participants and investigating batch size, multiple brews, batch size variation, and multiple batches on opiate content. They recommend clinicians utilize opioid rotation strategies to avoid developing dependence or tolerance towards new medication.
Toxicity
Poppy seeds aren’t often seen in baked goods but are usually found there. Since unwashed poppy seeds contain high concentrations of opiates that could contribute to drug toxicity or failing a drug test, eating too many could cause health risks or anecdotal stories of one poppy-studded bagel being enough to cause someone to fail a test is advised against; in prison parolees, this practice may even be restricted altogether.
Eaten in small amounts, unwashed poppy seeds are not associated with opioid toxicity; however, they can have fatal repercussions when consumed in large quantities. Poppy seed tea is an increasingly popular beverage among many; some have even died from drinking too much.
Opium in poppy seed seeds contains alkaloids similar to opioids such as morphine. These alkaloids could cause overdose and potentially fatal symptoms; ingestion may result in nausea and vomiting. Poppy seed tea is usually prepared by washing or soaking seeds and pods to remove these chemicals; generally, only small quantities are required to produce one cup.
To stay safe, it is recommended that a person should limit themselves to no more than one cup of poppy seed tea per day. Soaking seeds in water produces a liquid that can be brewed into tea alone or mixed into beverages such as coffee or hot chocolate. Its effects are often not immediate and only last for a short time.
Poppy seeds offer many health advantages, from aiding digestion and improving skin and hair health to combating insomnia and providing essential fiber and micronutrients. Furthermore, their consumption may lower heart disease risk and other related conditions while their oil can provide healthy omega-6 fatty acid benefits.
Legality
Poppy seeds are an integral ingredient in numerous food products, from bagels and muffins to salads and vegetables. Although eating poppy seeds is safe, consuming too many can cause an opioid overdose; in particular, some individuals use unwashed poppy seeds to get high, resulting in at least 12 American deaths. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has issued an open letter calling upon DEA officials to restrict the sale of unsafe poppy seeds; furthermore, Stephen Hacala’s family has introduced legislation into Congress prohibiting sales of dangerous poppy seeds that contain high amounts of morphine;
Opium poppies and their parts used in making drugs are Schedule II controlled substances in the U.S.; however, the harvested seeds do not fall into this legal category, and consumers have purchased unwashed poppy seeds as an ingredient in cooking. Unfortunately, these seeds may become contaminated with other parts of the opium poppy plant, such as its straw, which has higher morphine levels. Various sellers, including online retailers like Amazon, sell these seeds and straws.
One can occasionally hear stories of poppy seed consumption leading to positive drug tests; however, such instances tend to be misleading as urine concentrations of opiates are typically not high enough to trigger such results and because opiate levels in urine often overlap with codeine levels, making it hard to tell whether someone testing positive for poppy seeds or another illicit opioid drug use.
However, health experts are raising awareness that unwashed poppy seeds may provide a source of opioid highs and are encouraging clinicians to educate patients about its dangers. People suffering from opioid use disorder who consume large quantities may be unable to complete a medication-assisted treatment plan and require detox.
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