Poppy seed is anoilseed obtained from thepoppy plant (Papaver somniferum). The tiny, kidney-shaped seeds have been harvested from driedseed pods by various civilizations for thousands of years. It is still widely used in many countries, especially inCentral Europe andSouth Asia, where it is legally grown, used in food products and sold in shops. The seeds are used whole or ground into meal as an ingredient in many foods – especially inpastry andbread – and they are pressed to yieldpoppyseed oil.
The poppy seed is mentioned in ancient medical texts from many civilizations. For instance, the EgyptianEbers Papyrus, written c. 1550 BCE, lists the poppy seed as asedative.[1] TheMinoan civilization (approximately 2700 to 1450 BCE), a Bronze Age civilization which arose on the island ofCrete, cultivated poppies for their seeds, and used a milk, opium and honey mixture to calm crying babies. TheSumerians are another civilization that are known to have grown poppy seeds.[2]
Poppy seeds are less than a millimeter in length, kidney-shaped, and have a pitted surface.[3] It takes about 3,300 poppy seeds to make up a gram, and between 1 and 2 million seeds to make up a pound.[2] The primary flavor compound is 2-pentylfuran.[4]
The seeds are cultivated for the flowers they produce. Annual and biennial poppies are used to cultivate from seed as they are not difficult topropagate, and can be put directly in the ground during winter.[5] TheCalifornia poppy (Eschscholzia californica), for example, is a striking orangewildflower that grows in the Western and Northwestern United States.
| Poppy seed production(2014–2018 average) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | Production(tonnes) | |
 Czech Republic | 22,739 | |
 Turkey | 21,479 | |
 Spain | 11,812 | |
 Hungary | 6,047 | |
 France | 5,467 | |
| Source:FAOSTAT of theUnited Nations[6] | ||
In 2018, world production of poppy seeds was 76,240 tonnes. In 2024, theCzech Republic was the biggest producer of poppy seeds with 29,679 tonnes.Turkey,Spain,Hungary andFrance are other major producers.[6][7]
The poppy seeds harvest can be aby-product of cultivation ofPapaver somniferum foropium,poppy straw, or both opium and poppy straw. However, harvesting for poppy seeds of superior quality is in conflict with harvesting for opium as poppy seeds should be harvested when they are ripe, after the seed pod has dried. Traditionally, opium is harvested while the seed pods are green and the seeds have just begun to grow and their latex is abundant. Poppy straw can be a by-product of cultivation of poppy seeds. Compared to the seed pod and straw, the seeds contain very low levels ofopiates.[8] The seeds may be washed to obtainpoppy tea but a large amount is needed, around 300–400 g depending on the levels of opiates.
Since poppy seeds are relatively expensive, they are sometimes mixed with the seeds ofAmaranthus paniculatus, which closely resemble poppy seeds.[9]
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| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 2,196 kJ (525 kcal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
28.13 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sugars | 2.99 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dietary fiber | 19.5 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
41.56 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Saturated | 4.517 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monounsaturated | 5.982 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Polyunsaturated | 28.569 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21.22 g | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Other constituents | Quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Water | 5.95 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Percentages estimated usingUS recommendations for adults,[10] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from theNational Academies.[11] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In a 100 gram amount, poppy seeds provide 525calories and are a rich source ofthiamin,folate, and severalessential minerals, includingcalcium,iron,magnesium,manganese,phosphorus andzinc (table). Poppy seeds are composed of 6% water, 28%carbohydrates, 42%fat, and 21%protein (table).
Whole poppy seeds are widely used as a spice and decoration in and on top of many baked goods and pastries. InNorth America they are used in and on many food items such aspoppyseed muffins,rusk,bagels (like theMontreal-style bagel),bialys, and cakes such assponge cake. Poppy seeds can also be used likesesame seeds, added to hamburger buns or to make a bar of candy. The bars are made from boiled seeds mixed with sugar or with honey. This is especially common in theBalkans, Greece and even in the cuisines of former Austro-Hungarian countries.
The color of poppy seeds is important in some uses. According toThe Joy of Cooking, "the most desirable come fromHolland and are a slate-blue color."[12] When used as a thickener in some dishes, white poppy seeds are preferred, having less impact on the color of the food. In other dishes, black poppy seeds are preferred, for maximum impact. Blue poppy seeds are used in various German breads and desserts as well as inPolish cuisine.
Poppy seeds can be ground using a generic tool such as amortar and pestle or a small domestic type electricblade grinder, or a special purpose poppy seed grinder. A poppy seed grinder (mill) is a type ofburr grinder with a set aperture that is too narrow for intact poppy seeds to pass through. A burr grinder produces a more uniform and less oily paste than these other tools.
Thepoppy seed paste is used for fillings in pastries, sometimes mixed with butter or milk and sugar. The ground filling is used inpoppy seed rolls and some croissants and may be flavored with lemon or orange zest,rum andvanilla with raisins, heavy cream, cinnamon, and chopped blanched almonds or walnuts added. For sweet baked goods, sometimes instead of sugar a tablespoon of jam, or other sweet binding agent, like syrup is substituted. The poppy seed for fillings are best when they are finely and freshly ground because this will make a big difference in the pastry filling's texture and taste.
Poppy seed paste is available commercially, in cans. Poppy seeds are very high in oil, so commercial pastes normally contain sugar, water, and an emulsifier such assoy lecithin to keep the paste from separating. Commercial pastes also contain food preservatives to keep them from becoming rancid.
In the United States, commercial pastes are marketed under brand names includingSolo and American Almond. Per 30 gram serving, the American Almond poppy seed paste has 120 calories, 4.5 grams fat, and 2 grams protein.
Poppy seeds are pressed to formpoppyseed oil, a valuable commercial oil that has multiple culinary and industrial uses.
Poppy seeds are often used as bird seed, in which case they are usually called maw seeds.[13]
Poppy seeds are used around the world in variouscuisines.
Across Europe,buns and soft white bread pastries are often sprinkled on top with black and white poppy seeds (for examplecozonac,kalach,kolache andkołacz).The seeds of the Czech blue poppy (food safety cultivarsPapaver somniferum) are widely consumed in many parts of Central and EasternEurope. The sugared, milled mature seeds are eaten withpasta, or they are boiled withmilk and used as filling or topping on various kinds of sweetpastry. Milling of mature seeds is carried out either industrially or at home, where it is generally done with a manual poppy seed mill.
Blue poppy seeds are widely used inAustrian,Croatian,Czech,Danish,German,Hungarian,Lithuanian,Polish,Romanian,Russian,Serbian,Slovak,Slovenian,Turkish andUkrainian cuisines.
The states of former Yugoslavia (notably North Macedonia and Serbia, but also Croatia and Bosnia) have a long tradition of preparing poppy seed pastry (štrudla, baklava, pajgle) and dishes (pasta with poppy seeds). In Slovenia blue poppy seeds are used in traditional dishes such as prekmurska gibanica and makova potica.
InPoland,Hungary,Lithuania and EasternSlovakia, a traditional dessert is prepared for theChristmas Eve dinner from poppy seeds. They are ground and mixed with water or milk; round yeast biscuits (kūčiukai inLithuanian;opekance orbobalky inSlovak) are soaked in the resulting poppy seed 'milk' (poppy milk) and served cold.
InCentral Europe, poppystrudel is very popular, especially duringChristmas. In Germany, Poland and countries belonging to the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, poppy seed pastries calledMohnkuchen are often eaten around Christmas time.[14] Recipes for Mohnstriezel use poppy seed soaked in water for two hours[15] or boiled in milk. A recipe forUkrainian poppyseed cake recommends preparing the seeds by immersing in boiling water, straining and soaking in milk overnight.[16]
In Eastern EuropeanJewish cuisine, pastries filled with black poppy seeds in a sugary paste are traditional duringPurim, which occurs exactly one month beforePassover and approximately a month beforeEaster. Traditional pastries include poppy seedkalács andhamantashen, both sometimes known asbeigli (also spelledbejgli). Poppy seed hamantashen were the main traditional food eaten byAshkenazi Jews at Purim until the filling was replaced by other fruit and nut fillings. Poppy seed pastries are common in Jewish bakeries and delicatessens throughout theUnited States.
InIndian cuisine, particularlyBengali cuisine, white poppy seeds are added for thickness, texture and flavor to recipes. Commonly used in the preparation ofkorma, ground poppy seeds, along with coconut and other spices, are combined into a paste added during cooking. Poppy seeds are widely used in many regional Indian cuisines. One dish, originating fromKhulna, is aloo posto (potato and poppy seeds) which consists of ground poppy seeds cooked together with potatoes and made into a smooth, rich product, which is mainly eaten withrice.[17] There are many variants to this basic dish, replacing or complementing the potatoes with other ingredients, such asonions (penyaj posto),pointed gourd (potol posto),Ridged Luffa (jhinge posto),chicken (murgi posto), andprawns (chingri posto).Chadachadi is another dish from Bengali cuisine and includes long strips of vegetables, sometimes with the stalks of leafy greens added, all lightly seasoned with spices like mustard or poppy seeds and flavored with aphoron. One dish involves grilling patties made fromposto, sometimes frying them (postor bora). Another dish involves simply mixing uncooked ground poppy seeds (kancha posto) withmustard oil, chopped greenchili peppers, fresh onions and rice. Kacha posto bata (uncooked poppy seeds paste) with mustard oil is a very popular dish in West Bengal as well as Bangladesh. Poppy seeds are widely used inKashmir as a topping on various breads, especiallykulcha.
Poppy seeds, along withtulsi (basil) seeds, are added to beverages such asthandai,sharbat,milkshakes,rose milk,almond milk andkhus khus milk.
Poppy seeds locally called "khashkhash" are an essential ingredient in the preparation of a dish that consists of minced meat balls locally called "Kofta".
Allergy (type 1hypersensitivity) to poppy seeds is rare, but has been reported[18][19] and can causeanaphylaxis.[19]
Although the drugopium is produced by "milking" latex from the unripe fruits ("seed pods") rather than from the poppy seeds, all parts of the plant can contain or carry the opium alkaloids, especiallymorphine andcodeine.[20] This means that eating foods (e.g.,bagels) that contain poppy seeds can result in afalse positive for opiates in a drug test,[20] although more refined tests can distinguish them.[21] To minimize the problems caused by false positives, theUSADA recommends that athletes refrain from eating foods containing poppy seeds several days prior to a competitive event.[20]
The sale of poppy seeds fromPapaver somniferum is banned inSingapore because of the morphine content. Poppy seeds are also prohibited inTaiwan, primarily because of the risk that viable seeds will be sold and used to grow opium poppies.[22]
China prohibits spice mixes made from poppy seed and poppy seed pods because of the traces of opiates in them, and has since at least 2005.[23][24]
Despite its present use inArab cuisine as a bread spice, poppy seeds are also banned inSaudi Arabia for drug control reasons.[25]
Travelers to the United Arab Emirates are especially prone to difficulties and severe punishments.[26][27]
InSingapore, poppy seeds are classified as "prohibited goods" by theCentral Narcotics Bureau (CNB).[28]
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