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

Blooms in mid-March and lasts until early summer in the high areas.

Poppy properties

These are the main properties and healthy benefits of poppy:

• Helps against insomnia. Poppy contains isoquinoline alkaloids such as papaverine and rhoeadine, papaveric and meconic acids, as well as mucilage and tannins. All of this gives it properties as a sedative and antispasmodic plant.
• Get rid of nerves and anxiety. Recommended to treat nervous and anxiety situations, it stands out as a useful remedy against nervous irritability. Due to its mild effect, it is advised in moderation to administer to older people and children (to treat childhood hyperactivity).
• Protects respiratory mucous membranes. The richness of poppy mucilage explains its ability to protect respiratory mucous membranes.
• Against eye inflammation. In external use, the poppy has also been indicated against conjunctivitis and inflammation of the eyelids due to allergies to pollen or mites.

Poppy as a natural sedative

Also known as poppy for the strong opium smell it gives off when fresh, many people have experienced drowsiness after collecting its petals. This occurs becauseThe plant manages to transfer its active ingredients through the skin, and from there, to the blood.

Poppy is a mild and natural sedative remedy valid for children and older people, but it must be associate with plants with a stronger effect such as passionflower, valerian or hops to be effective on adults.

Uses of poppy to relieve cough

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

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

The mucilage gives the poppy its demulcent and antitussive action. Herbalists indicate it for protect and restore mucous membranes respiratory tract and free them from itching and irritation.

The poppy is also indicated for relieve different types of cough:

• Irritating and persistent coughsuch as that caused by spring allergies, environments saturated with smoke or dust, colds and flu processes.
• spasmodic coughwhich can often end up leading to muscle discomfort due to effort.
• bronchitis with coughincluding smoking and mild asthma attacks.

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

How to take 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, since In less than a year they will have lost a good part of their therapeutic potential.

• In infusion: you can take the dried and chopped petals as an infusion, usually mixed with other plants. The infusion acquires a dark red color and has a neutral, somewhat dense taste, which can be improved with lemon balm or anise. They 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: is 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 formula valid for both adults and children from ten years oldwhich 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. It is strained and left to rest for another ten minutes.

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

For childhood insomnia: Poppy, chamomile, lavender and green anise are mixed. Pour one tablespoon per cup into hot water, leave for 10 minutes and strain. Dosage: a small glass after dinner and another at bedtime.

Herbal tea with poppy against cough

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

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

Infusion with poppy for tonsillitis

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

How to prepare it: Pour a level tablespoon of the mixture into a saucepan of boiling water, let it rest for 5 minutes before drinking. You can improve its flavor with honey.

Infusion for conjunctivitis and inflamed eyelids

Poppy, elderflower and cornflower are mixed.

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 gauze or cotton in it and dabbing it on the eyelids and eye area. The same gauze or cotton should never be used for both eyes.

Uses of poppy in cooking

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

• Its flowers. The fresh poppy petals They have been consumed in many parts of Spain, such as Levante, in salad and to garnish some stews. In addition, a highly appreciated syrup was made with the flowers, 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.
• The poppy seeds They are included in very diverse recipes, such as breads and rolls, cakes and mousses, cakes, sponge cakes, etc. They are very rich in calcium (1,450 mg/100 g).

Contraindications of poppy

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

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

• Due to the presence of active alkaloids such as rhoeadine and papaverine, Extracts or tinctures 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 drowsiness.
• It is not advisable to combine the poppy with sedative medications.

The other poppies

Some are known one hundred species of poppies 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) It is recommended for insomniaagainst which it is more effective than the common poppy.

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