Poppy seeds have been consumed for thousands of years. The Ancient Greeks extracted oil from the seeds for cooking purposes. They also tossed poppy seeds into sweetmeats and cakes. Poppy seeds later became a favorite ingredient among Austrians, who used them in strudels and dumplings.
Today, people around the world continue to cook with these tiny blue-gray seeds in a variety of ways. But anyone who’s about to take a routine drug test might want to think twice about eating poppy seeds, at least until after the test.
Drug Testing and Poppy Seeds
According to a January 11, 2005, New York Times article by health reporter Anahad O'Connor, consuming poppy seeds can result in a drug test that’s positive — for opiates, that is. Interestingly, poppy seeds and heroin come from the same plant, the opium poppy. However, it isn't the poppy seeds themselves that are to blame for opiates but rather the unripe seed capsules, or pods, of the poppy plant. Sometimes residual opiates from the pods are passed onto the poppy seeds during the collection process, which can lead to the positive drug test.
Although drug testing is becoming more sophisticated these days, people still report failed drug tests from eating poppy seeds. Of course, the test results from a poppy seed eater will register a much lower amount of opiates than those of a heroin user. And a second test can be administered to rule out narcotics.
Still, given the effect poppy seeds can have on a drug test, are people better off avoiding poppy seeds altogether? Definitely not. Poppy seeds have many health benefits that make them a top seed to eat.
Health Benefits of Poppy Seeds
As tiny as poppy seeds are, they contain powerful disease-fighting nutrients, including zinc, iron, copper, calcium, magnesium, and thiamin. They are a good source of linoleic acid, which helps reduce the risk of heart attacks, and oleic acid, thought to aid in breast cancer prevention. Eating poppy seeds can also lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar.
Cooking with Poppy Seeds
Besides the health benefits of poppy seeds, though, they taste great — nutty and slightly sweet. And they’re easy to incorporate into recipes and cooking styles. In India, for example, ground seeds are used as a thickening agent for sauces. The Japanese like to season their dishes with poppy seeds. Poppy seeds are added to breads, cakes, and pastry fillings, among other foods, in America.
Other ideas for cooking with poppy seeds include tossing them into coleslaw and mashed potatoes, sprinkling them on steamed vegetables and noodles, or pressing them into pie crust. Or try this easy poppy seed dressing for a healthful way to spice up any salad.
Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/3 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup grated onion
- 1&1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Directions:
- Whisk together the sugar, mustard, salt, olive oil, canola oil, and vinegar.
- Add the onion and poppy seeds.
- Store in a jar in the refrigerator. Dressing will keep for several weeks. (Makes approximately 2 cups.)
Poppy seeds have been around for thousands of years for good reason. Despite their effect on routine drug testing, they add flavor and nutrients to a variety of foods.
Sources:
Biggs, Matthew, Jekka McVicar, and Bob Flowerdew. Vegetables, Herbs & Fruit: An Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York: Firefly Books, 2002.
Green, Aliza. Field Guide to Herbs & Spices. Philadephia: Quirk Books, 2006.
NutritionData.com.
Stuckey, Maggie. The Complete Spice Book. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin: 1997.
 |
