Poppy seed is an oil seed that may be harvested from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum). For thousands of years, cultures all around the world have been gathering the tiny, kidney-shaped seeds from dried seed pods.
Growing it legally and selling it in stores has not stopped its widespread usage around the world, particularly in South Asia and Central Europe.
Poppyseeds have been used both wholes and crushed into meals, making them a common component in many baked goods and slices of bread. The seeds may also be pressed to get poppyseed oil.
Poppy Seeds – What Are Their Benefits?
Poppy seeds, similar to the majority of other nuts and seeds, are a source of calories that are on the lower end of the spectrum. There are little over 90 calories in a 2-tablespoon portion, which is just over 5% of your daily “budget” on a 2,000-calorie diet.
The seeds have a relatively low carbohydrate content (only 2 grams) and a high-fat fat content (7 grams), most of which are beneficial unsaturated fatty acids.
Additionally, you’ll only receive 3 grams of protein per serving, but there are also 5 grams of carbohydrates, of which 3.5 grams are healthy fiber for your digestive system.
When looking to increase your calcium intake, it is only natural to gravitate toward dairy products. In contrast, poppy seeds are something you might want to consider adding to your diet.
They provide around 250 milligrams of calcium per 2-tablespoon serving, which is nearly a fourth of your daily required calcium intake. Calcium is essential for many bodily functions, including skeletal and dental health, muscular and nervous system performance, and average cell turnover.
Magnesium is a mineral that is helpful for your bones, and you can get it in poppy seeds. Even while magnesium’s importance to bone health is less well-known than calcium’s, the two minerals contribute equally to the formation of hydroxyapatite, the mineral responsible for the hardness of your bones. Magnesium is essential for cellular signaling, cellular proliferation, and ATP synthesis. About 60 milligrams of magnesium, or 14-19 percent of your daily requirements, may be found in a serving of poppy seeds.
Because of their tiny size, poppy seeds are best used in cooking rather than as a convenient on-the-go snack like other seeds. Multigrain bread, whole wheat muffins, and even low-sugar cookies all benefit from the addition of poppy seeds.
Greek yogurt, poppy seeds, apple cider vinegar, and lemon zest make a quick and versatile salad dressing or dip. Alternatively, you may add poppy seeds to your oats for a lovely crunch.
Planting Poppy Seeds From The Grocery Store – Legality?
The poppy seeds that you purchase at the grocery store can, in fact, be planted in the ground. You only need to make sure that you are not doing it improperly and that you are checking certain elements that will assist you in growing the poppy plants out of these poppy seeds in an appropriate manner.
If you want to be successful in this endeavor, you will need to do some research on whether or not growing poppy plants is against the law in your area.
Therefore, you should determine if local rules allow poppy planting before you begin. In such cases, you run the risk of getting into difficulty with law enforcement, which is something that, given a choice, you would like not to have happened.
Poppy Seeds From The Grocery Store – How Can You Plant Them?
Once you’ve established that you can plant them without problem, you will no longer need to be concerned about legal issues. Just head on over to your local grocery shop and pick up some fresh, non-dehydrated poppy seeds.
Because the older leaves have a lower probability of germinating, you will need to make sure that you are acquiring the more recently harvested seeds. This will ensure that the seeds have a higher chance of germinating and growing effectively.
After that, you will need to make sure that some additional factors and variables are going to work in your favor as well. Keep in mind that poppy requires a lot of moisture; therefore, the best time to cultivate them is in the late summer or during the rainy season.
Because of their tolerance for cool temperatures, poppies are best grown at the end of summer or the beginning of winter to avoid any potential issues.
In addition to this, you will need to pick a type of soil that is abundant in nutrients, and not only that, but you will also need to make sure that you are keeping the soil wet at all times.
This is going to be of great assistance to you in ensuring that you will be successful in cultivating poppy plants from the seeds that you purchased from the supermarket. It won’t require much maintenance on your part, and the plants will practically look after themselves as time goes on.
Planting Poppy Seeds From The Grocery Store – Factors To Pay Head
Poppies of the annual bread-seed or lettuce-leaf poppy (Papaver somniferum) are as flat and papery as tissue and come in pink, red, purple, and white.
With a height of 4 to 5 feet, they have erect stalks of luxuriant, light green leaves. Since these poppies are used to produce opium, their cultivation for that purpose is prohibited in many countries.
- Colors
Even though they come in fewer varieties and colors, poppy seeds purchased from grocery stores grow just as well as those purchased from specialty seed retailers.
Some of these varieties include the peony poppy, which has numerous petals in a variety of jewel tones; the Danish Flag, which is a deep orange variety with white feathery cores; and the Lauren’s Grape variety, which is a purple variety. The average poppy plant only yields a single pink blossom.
- Timings
It is often advised that annual poppies be planted in the fall or sprinkled on snow since the plants develop to their full potential when subjected to a period of cold weather. However, planting them around the middle of February produces more significant results, especially in regions with rainy winters and chilly springs.
- Planting
The seeds must be exposed to light in order to germinate, so spread them on the ground and leave them uncovered. If you live in a dry area, you should occasionally mist the seeds with a fine stream from the hose in order to keep them wet until they sprout.
When the plants reach a height of around 3 inches, you should separate any clusters that grow too close together.
- Sowing Seeds
The daisy-like blossoms of the poppy barely endure for a few short days. Once the petals have fallen, the poppy seed heads will start to dry up.
Keep them on the plant until the stalks have become a beige color and the openings at the top of the poppy pod have opened to release the seeds, at which point you should collect the heads, let them dry thoroughly, and then shake the heads to remove the seeds.
- Replanting
The majority of the seeds will fall to the ground and plant themselves, but you should preserve some seeds to spread again in the spring. This is especially important if the seeds you bought at the grocery store produced any distinctive colors or shapes you want to grow again.