Is poppy seeds high in nickel?

Nickel status

Moderate

Find out whether poppy seeds is high or low in nickel, see its exact rating, and check its FODMAP, salicylate, oxalate and diet compatibility all in one place.

Related checkers

Compare poppy seeds across criteria

HistamineSafe Histamine LiberatorsSafe FODMAPsAvoid FructansSafe GOSSafe FructoseSafe

Sensitivity notes

Why nickel food checker matters

Nickel is a metal found in many foods including chocolate, nuts, and leafy greens. People with nickel allergy (often showing as contact dermatitis) may also react to dietary nickel, causing skin and digestive symptoms.

Avoid cooking acidic foods in stainless steel cookware
Canned foods often have higher nickel content
Chocolate, nuts, and legumes are common high-nickel foods

Triggers

HistamineSafe

Histamine LiberatorsSafe

FODMAPsLow

FructansSafe

GOSSafe

FructoseSafe

PolyolsSafe

GlutenSafe

LactoseSafe

Dairy ProteinsSafe

NightshadesSafe

SalicylatesSafe

Oxalates

NickelModerate

SulfitesSafe

NitritesSafe

GlutamatesSafe

TyramineSafe

CaffeineSafe

Lectin

Low FermentationSafe

Diets

GlutenFit

InflammationFit

VeganFit

VegetarianFit

Paleo AIPAvoid

MediterraneanFit

DASH DietFit

EoE CompatibleFit

FODMAPsAvoid

Low FermentationFit

Priority ingredient notes

Serving size, prep, and portion notes for poppy seeds

Poppy seeds are one of the cleanest foods on the trigger board and one of the most misunderstood. They grade A on histamine, histamine liberation, salicylates, tyramine, sulfites, nitrites, glutamates, lactose and gluten, and they are anti-inflammatory rated. Their only meaningful food-chemistry mark is a moderate nickel grade, which is typical of small seeds. The two facts people actually search for sit outside that chemistry. First, poppy seeds are harvested from Papaver somniferum and can be contaminated at harvest with morphine and codeine, which is enough to produce a positive opiate urine drug screen after a bagel or a slice of poppy-seed cake. The US Department of Defense went as far as telling service members to stop eating them in February 2023. Second, a true IgE-mediated poppy seed allergy exists. It is uncommon but well documented, and can be severe.

Watch for

Poppy seeds can cause a positive opiate urine drug test. Seeds pick up morphine and codeine residue during harvest, and a single poppy-seed pastry can be enough, which is why the US Department of Defense advised service members in February 2023 to avoid them entirely / True poppy seed allergy is real and IgE mediated. It is uncommon, but reported reactions include anaphylaxis, and cross-reactivity with other seeds and nuts has been described / Moderate nickel grade, in line with other small seeds. Relevant only if you are managing systemic nickel allergy syndrome and eating them in quantity, as in a poppy-seed filling rather than a sprinkle / Clean across histamine, histamine liberation, salicylates, tyramine, sulfites, glutamates and gluten, and anti-inflammatory rated, so a reaction to a poppy-seed bake usually points at the wheat, dairy or sugar around it rather than the seeds / Not AIP compliant, since seeds are removed during an autoimmune protocol elimination phase

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