Culinary poppy seeds come from the Papaver somniferum, or opium poppy, the same source of morphine and codeine.
There aren’t enough opiates in a serving of seeds to get anyone high or impair judgment but even a small amount on breads or in baked goods can register athletes positive for opiates.
Don’t let that influence you on eating poppy seeds. These nutty tasting seeds are high in oil content and rich in magnesium, calcium and fiber. Treat poppy seeds like nuts and store it in the freezer to it keep from turning rancid.
Poppy seeds combine well with lemon in muffins, cakes and breads. The seeds often are ground into paste and used in various baked goods like poppy seed rolls.