Tag: Opium alkaloids

While poppy seeds have been a culinary staple for millennia, the consumption of the Papaver plant itself carries significant risks due to toxic alkaloids present in its sap. Therefore, the simple answer to can you eat Papaver is highly dependent on the species and which part of the plant is consumed.

According to the U.S. Army, service members were once advised to avoid all poppy seed products to prevent false-positive drug tests. Understanding the full spectrum of side effects of eating poppy seeds is vital, as risks can range from inconvenient test results to life-threatening toxicity from contaminated seeds.