Description :
Oatstraw is a grass with erect stems and long blade-like leaves. The small spike-like floret matures into the oat that is edible, and at the immature stage, exudes a white milky substance which some call milky oats. Oats and Oatstraw have been used for centuries for their nutritional value. Oatstraw has an equally long history as a medicinal. It has been historically used by Old European Herbalists to calm the nerves, help enhance cognitive function, energize the body, and more. Externally, Oatstraw was used in foot-baths for tired feet.
History and Folklore:
Believed to be domesticated around 3,000 years ago in the fertile crecent, around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, it eventually spread to the wet and cooler climates in Europe and became a popular cereal grain, claiming its place as a major food staple along with wheat, barley, and rice. Oatstraw is highly valued for both its nutritive and medicinal properties.
Cultivation and Harvest:
Harvest Oatstraw by cutting the stems, leaving the seed (while still milky) and pod attached. Tinctures of the milky seed can be made while still fresh. If you dry the cuttings for use in teas, allow some of the seed to remain with the drying stems.
Precautions:
Avoid during pregnancy or while nursing.
Traditional Herbal Actions:
nervine, nutritive
Other Names:
Lion’s Ear, Throw-wort, Lion’s Tale
Related Species:
A. fatua and A. barbata
Ingredients: Oat Straw (Avena sativa)
None of these items or statements are approved by FDA. Consult your physician before taking any supplement. Do not take herbs or tinctures during pregnancy without consulting your healthcare provider. This product is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease. All information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.
*This statement has not been verified by the FDA and is only referenced here as a fun fact and/or for historical commentary, is not to be used as medical advice in any way. Consult your doctor before ingesting any herbal product.
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