Poppy seed belongs to the family of the poppy plants. The seeds are used as food, e.g. for sweets and for gaining oil. The juice of the plant contains morphine which is obtained from opium. This has been used a lot in pain treatment. Nowadays, one rather takes morphine, e.g. against tumor pain. Other substances contained are used against dry cough. Moreover, there are breath-stimulating, bronchodilatory and spasmolytic substances. Poppy seed contains a lot of calcium and is rich in vitamin B.
