Poppy: healthy properties and how to take it

The poppy (Papaver rhoeas) It is an annual plant, barely 30 cm tall, with erect stems, basal leaves (divided into toothed segments, very rough) and large solitary flowers, with the scarlet red petals, sometimes spotted with blackand numerous stamens. Its fruits appear in an ovoid capsule, surmounted by a flat disk.

Blooms in mid-March and it is maintained until the beginning of summer in the high areas.

Poppy properties

These are the main healthy properties and benefits of poppy:

Help against insomnia. The poppy contains isoquinoline alkaloids such as papaverine and rhoeadine, papaveric and mechonic acids, as well as mucilage and tannins. All this gives it properties as a sedative and antispasmodic plant.Removes nerves and anxiety. Recommended to treat situations of nerves and anxiety, it stands out as a useful remedy against nervous irritability. Due to its mild effect, it is recommended in moderation to be administered to the elderly and to children (to treat childhood hyperactivity).Protects the respiratory mucosa. The richness of poppy mucilages explains its ability to protect the respiratory mucosa. Against eye inflammations. In external use, the poppy has also been indicated against conjunctivitis and inflammation of the eyelids due to allergy to pollen or mites.

Poppy as a natural sedative

Also known as opium poppy because of the strong opium odor it exudes when fresh, many people have experienced drowsiness after collecting its petals. This occurs because heThe plant manages to transfer its active principles through the skin, and from there, to the blood.

The poppy is a mild and natural sedative remedy valid for children and the elderly, but it must be associate with plants with a stronger effect such as passion flower, valerian or hops to be effective on adults.

Uses of poppy to relieve cough

For curative purposes, they are used poppy petalswhich take their scarlet color from anthocyanins such as genina and the papaveric and rhoeadic acids. They also contain mucilages and isoquinolenic alkaloids such as papaverine.

It’s recommended collect them first thing in the daystill wrapped in the dew, and using gloves, to avoid their supposed narcotic effect touch.

The mucilages give the poppy its demulcent and antitussive action. Herbalists indicate it for protect and restore the mucosa respiratory and free them from itching and irritation.

Poppy is also indicated for relieve different types of cough:

Irritative and persistent coughsuch as that caused by spring allergies, smoky or dusty environments, colds and flu processes.spasmodic coughwhich can often end up leading to muscle discomfort from the effort.bronchitis with coughincluding smoking and mild asthmatic attacks.

Due to its antispasmodic effect, poppy also relieves gastrointestinal spasms.

How to take the poppy?

It is found in herbalists or pharmacies, although you can prepare your own remedies from specific collections in the field.

It is not recommended to make a large collection of petals, as in less than a year they will have lost much of their therapeutic potential.

in infusion: the dried and chopped petals can be taken as an infusion, usually mixed with other plants. The infusion takes on a dark red color and has a neutral, somewhat dense taste, which can be enhanced with lemon balm or anise. are taken up to three cups a day.Eye drops: for irritated or inflamed eyes, prepare an eye bath or eye drops with the infusion and a little sea salt.other presentations: also found in powder, alcoholic tincture (30-40 drops daily dissolved in water or fruit juice, in three daily doses), in liquid extract, in capsules and in cough syrup (2-3 tablespoons a day for adults and 1-2 a day for children). Finally, the poppy seeds can be pressed to produce a oil that expresses all its nutritional and medicinal properties.

Infusion with poppy for insomnia

Herbalists propose a valid formula for both adults and children from the age of tenwhich consists of combining poppy petals in equal parts with other calming plants such as valerian, passionflower, lemon balm and lindenwith the support of the orange blossom.

How to prepare it: Boil one level tablespoon of the mixture per cup of water for one minute. Strain and keep for another ten minutes at rest.

how to take it: The ideal is to take half a glass after dinner and the other half just before going to bed. To neutralize the bad taste of valerian, it can be sweetened with a little honey.

For childhood insomnia: Poppy, chamomile, lavender and green anise are mixed. One tablespoon per cup is thrown into hot water, left for 10 minutes and strained. Dosage: a small glass after dinner and another at bedtime.

Tea with poppy against cough

To combat cough, a formula is recommended that combines poppy with other plants with respiratory properties such as coltsfoot, lungwort, plantain, elder, marshmallow, and spruce budsin equal amounts.

How to prepare it: Boil a level tablespoon per glass of water for 2 minutes, strain, let it rest for 10 minutes and drink a hot cup every four hours approximately.

Infusion with poppy for tonsils

It is prepared by mixing 5 g of poppy flowers with double liverwort, ivy and mallow.

How to prepare it: Add a level spoonful of the mixture to a saucepan of boiling water, let it rest for 5 minutes before drinking. Its flavor can be improved with honey.

Infusion for conjunctivitis and inflamed eyelids

It mixes poppy, elderflower and cornflower.

How to prepare it: 20 g are infused in a liter of water and a teaspoon of salt is added. This eye drop is applied with an eyewash or by soaking a gauze or cotton pad in it and dabbing on the eyelids and around the eyes. The same gauze or cotton should never be used for both eyes.

Uses of the poppy in the kitchen

Both its flowers and its seeds are used from the poppy. Its uses in the kitchen are very diverse.

Your flowers. The fresh poppy petals They have been consumed in many parts of Spain, such as Levante, in salad and to garnish some stews. With the flowers, in addition, a highly appreciated syrup was made, which was added to the soup.Your essential oil. In Flanders and Germany the seeds were used to prepare cakes and to extract an oil that was used as a condiment. poppy seeds They are included in many different recipes, such as breads and rolls, cakes and mousses, tarts, biscuits, etc. They are very rich in calcium (1,450 mg/100 g).

Poppy contraindications

The poppy is related to the opium poppybut its narcotic potential is much lower, among other reasons because it does not contain morphine.

However, they must respect certain precautions If you decide to use this plant:

by the presence of active alkaloids such as rhoeadine and papaverine, extracts and tincture should not be taken during pregnancy or lactation, nor administer them to children under 6 years of age. Continued treatment in children should be avoided. It is advisable to adhere to the doses prescribed by the specialist or indicated on the product: high doses or prolonged treatments may cause drowsinessIt is not convenient to combine the poppy with sedative medications.

the other poppies

Some are known hundred species poppy in the world.

The poppy (Papaver somniferum) is one of them, but its main active ingredient is morphine and due to its narcotic effects its use is prohibited by law.

The california poppy (Eschscholzia californica) recommended for insomniaagainst which it is more effective than the common poppy.

He glaucio (Glaucium flavum) is used only for the warts.