Ever since I was a kid I have loved how the words "Khus Khus" roll from my tongue. Honestly, I was not certain for quite a long time what Khus Khus was or even why people loved to use it so much.
Just so that you don't have to live in the same confusion that I lived with for a good part of my life, let me tell you all the splendid benefits and innumerable advantages these "Khus Khus" or "Poppy seeds" have.
For those of you who didn't know, another word for Khus Khus is "Poppy seeds". The sweet tooth in you might think that these are used in cakes and pastries and the health inclined part of you might think, "Oh it's something we put in porridge quite often", but that's just it, Poppy seeds have so much more to them than just being part of the recipes we so love.
Fun Fact: Poppy seeds come from the plant that produces Opium.
A Little Khus Khus History
For thousand of years and through many a civilizations the humans have known about these oilseeds. They are extracted from the widely known Opium Poppy flower, with the scientific name of Papaver Somniferum.
To give you an idea of what Poppy seeds look like, just like in the image above, they are tiny spherical seeds that could either be grayish-blue, dark blue or white in color. Dry Poppy seed pods is where the ripe seeds come from.
European, Jewish and Indian cuisines happen to include a lot of this ancient spice in them. The seeds could be used whole or ground. Poppy seeds are available in the market in the form of intact seeds, paste or as oil.
Fun Fact: There are around 900,000 Poppy seeds in a pound.
Khus Khus For Hair
- The unsaturated fats present in the Poppy seeds boost collagen and elastin in hair which leads to stimulation in hair growth.
- The paste made up of these seeds can also soothe the scalp.
- If you have dandruff and nothing else has worked for you so far, you can try these seeds either in the oil form or in the paste form or your hair health.
- When mixed with milk, the paste can help in smoothing out split ends.
- Poppy seed oil is a great moisturizer for hair and the scalp.
- It helps in managing dry and damaged hair.
- If you have a scalp inflammation, the oil as well as the paste could work wonders on it.
- It also prevents hair loss and makes hair thicker and shinier.
Fun Fact: The botanical name for the poppy flower as per a legend means "Sleep Bearing".
For The Skin
- The seeds can help you get rid of those blemishes on your face that just won't go away.
- If you have pigmentation issues with your skin, that's something the seeds can help with as well.
- They can help soothe if not solve skin problems like Eczema and inflammation.
- The linoleic acids in them helps toughen up the skin.
- The paste works amazingly on any sort of skin burns.
- If you want an easy way to get clearer skin, Poppy seeds are something you should definitely try.
- Just like it did with the hair scalp, the seed paste acts as a moisturizer for skin as well.
- A Poppy seed scrub is a great way to cleanse your skin.
Fun Fact: In The Wizard of Oz, Poppies were used to put Dorothy to sleep. The seeds however, do not have that kind of effect.
For The Body
- Poppy seed drinks decrease the levels of cortisol in the body which leads to a calming effect on the body. Their tea can help you sleep better and cure sleeplessness. Some anecdotal evidence suggests that consuming these seeds can help cure mouth ulcers.
- As these seeds have high complex carbohydrates in them they can be a good energy booster. Also, they are a source of insoluble fiber, they are really good for digestion. By increasing the bulk of stool they help treat constipation.
- The seeds might help in decreasing the chances of cognitive disorder. Rich in Calcium and Copper they help in increasing the functioning of the brain. If you are a BP patient or even if you aren't you might want to try Poppy seeds to help you regulate your blood pressure.
- For the people of any age, the seeds work as an amazing strengthening agent for the bones. The seeds when consumed whole or in the ground form work as immunity boosters as well. According to studies, these seeds can do a lot of good in helping treat kidney stones as well. They also enhance the thyroid function in the body.
You know what other ingredient is an amazing immunity booster? To know more about Baheda, please click here.
Side Effects
If you have any allergies to these seeds you may want to steer clear of them. Aside from that, Poppy seeds haven't been known to cause any major side effects.
Top Amrutam Products With Khus Khus
- Try the Ashtagandh Body Lotion to give your body the mesmerizing feel of a rudrabhishekam.
- To give your face a glow like never before apply Amrutam's Face Clean-Up.
You could also check out Natasha Noel's self-care favorites here.
There is a sale on December the 20th, do not miss the Ashtagandh Sale, to avail the amazing Khus Khus rich product at the best of prices.
Inculcate Khus Khus, not just in your desserts but also in your daily self-care routine to make your life a little more healthy. Put some life in your years with these magic seeds that help you in every way possible.
