How a poppy seed bagel could lead you to fail a drug test

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but could also get you in trouble. Photo / 123rf

Eating poppy seed bagels for breakfast - as harmless as that might sound - could lead you to fail a drug test.

The poppy seeds are actually derived from opium poppies and, while they can't get you high, they can sometimes contain traces and morphine and could show up in a sensitive drug test.

A woman in the US tested positive for opiates while giving birth to her daughter in April because she'd eaten a poppy seed bagel for breakfast.

Poppy seed bagels should be off the menu before drug tests. Photo / 123rf

Elizabeth Eden told WBAL TV11 that she ended up being reported to the state and her newborn daughter Beatrice was required to stay in hospital for five days, all because of a bagel.

While not very common, the case is definitely not isolated with other people reporting having failed drug tests after eating poppy seed bagels.

A study done in 1987 analysed five members of a lab who baked cookies containing 1 teaspoon of poppy-seed filling. Two hours after eating the cookies, all five people tested positive for opiates.

If you think you might be subject of a drug test, maybe skip the breakfast bagel.