Most of us look at oats and just think of a warm, filling breakfast. However, the earlier, pre-processed stages of oats offer a slew of health benefits that are largely untapped.
In fact, oatstraw benefits the entire body, but few people know about it.
What Is Oatstraw?
When oats come to mind, you can easily think of the oat grain – a plant product well known for its heart-healthy content. However, there are other beneficial components of the oat plant that are seldom talked about.
As the oat plant grows, its tops - commonly called milky oats - can be harvested to produce a milky sap.
The milky oat stage is short and lasts about a week. After this stage, the oats flower and later develop seeds, which are harvested when dry.
The fresh young stems of the oat plant harvested during this stage are known as oatstraw.
Their importance has not been well explored because people usually take interest in the nutritious oat grains without looking into the medicinal value of oatstraw.
So today, it’s oatstraw benefits in the spotlight!
5 Incredible Benefits of Oatstraw
Oatstraw is highly beneficial because of the calming effect it causes on the nerves. Most of the conditions that can be managed by oatstraw are in one way or another related to the physiologic activities within the nerves.
By modulating these activities, oatstraw scores as one of the most potent natural remedies for conditions of the nervous system.
1. Relieves Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are two of the most common issues affecting millions of people on a daily basis. Since ancient times, oatstraw has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to calm the nerves.
Studies on its mechanism of action have not been conclusive, but the effects are well founded on evidence-based studies.
Finally catching up to real life experiences of countless people, research now agrees that oatstraw is a potent nervine, beneficial for a variety of conditions affecting the nervous system.
2. Supports Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails
Oatstraw is rich in silica and calcium - two minerals which are active stimulators of growth, especially of bones, hair, and nails.
For nails, silica naturally encourages longer, stronger nails.
As for hair, oatstraw is especially beneficial in cases where hair loss and thinning are linked to chronic stress and anxiety.
By relieving the body of stress and anxiety, oatstraw can indirectly prevent hair loss.
Another key component of oatstraw that is helpful in the growth of hair, nails and skin is its macronutrient content. Their role may seem insignificant, but failure to consume sufficient macronutrients can lead to nutrient deficiencies affecting skin and hair.
3. Boosts Cognitive Function
Studies have shown that oatstraw is one of the most potent natural nootropic agents. A nootropic agent is a medication/drug that is used to enhance cognitive function in humans.
The ability of oat straw to improve overall mental performance makes it a key player in the fight against cognitive decline.
This double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessed the effects of oatstraw on middle-aged adults, and the results were quite impressive.
The study found that oatstraw significantly increased their speed of mental performance.
It also improved problems with delayed word recall. In these cases, oatstraw helped reduce thinking time as well as overall task completion time.
4. Fights Fatigue, Provides Natural Energy
Oatstraw is very rich in vitamins, such as vitamin E and other nutrients, that form the basis for its work in soothing nerves and preventing muscle spasms.
This mechanism of action is particularly beneficial for individuals suffering from exhaustion of the nervous system.
Studies also indicate that oatstraw increases nitric oxide in arterial walls. As a result, blood can flow more freely to the brain, providing a natural boost of energy.
5. Aids in Breaking Addiction/Withdrawal
There is a theory that suggests oatstraw can be used to successfully wean off of drugs and alcohol. In one study, participants supplemented with oats extract in apple juice and saw a 66% decrease in daily cigarette use.
Another 2008 pilot study followed Japanese smokers who supplemented with oat extract for just over 2 years. Within that time frame, average cigarettes smoke decreased from 19 to 9 per day.
How to Use Oatstraw
For centuries, people have enjoyed these oatstraw benefits through consuming either oatstraw tea or tincture.
Tea
Oatstraw tea is rich in a variety of vitamins, minerals and other nutritious components that play a role in its many benefits listed above.
How to prepare oatstraw tea:
- Take about 3 teaspoons of dried oatstraw and add to a glass of boiled water.
- Cover the glass with a lid and let it stand for 15 minutes.
- Let cool and drink. Proponents of oatstraw suggest drinking it 2-3 times a day for maximum benefits.
Allergy warning: You should avoid oatstraw tea if you have previously suffered allergies to oat flour.
Tincture
Oatstraw tincture is made from fresh herbs and is slightly different from oat tincture which is made from dried herbs. It is usually referred to as milky oats tincture because of the whitish goo that comes out when you squeeze fresh oat straws.
Oatstraw tinctures can be made differently depending on what you desire to use it for.
If you want to go the homemade route, use a blender, mortar or food processor so that the plant matter stays submerged under the liquid. You can also chop it by hand when you want to, but this process leads to loss of precious juice.
Oatstraw tinctures are indicated for managing the same conditions as those managed by oatstraw tea.
However, its tincture form is more potent and best used when trying to soothe nervous system issues as well as hair, skin and nail applications.
We love oatstraw for its natural beauty boost in the hair, skin, nail department. That’s why we added it to our Organic GLOW formula, along with nettle, fenugreek, rosehips and more.
