Oatstraw Green Tops
History & Information
Avena sativa is a grass with erect stems and long blade-like leaves. Its flowers consist of inconspicuous spikelets, each floret containing 3 stamens, and a feathery stigma. This floret matures into the oat that is edible, and at the immature stage, exudes a white milky substance (referred to as 'milky oats') and harvested for its nutritive value. The whole plant is referred to as 'oatstraw.'
Oats are believed to be descended from A. sterilis, a wild oat in the Fertile Crescent, along the North African coast, and the Southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Believed to be domesticated around 3,000 years ago around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, oats are thought to have been introduced to Europe as a contaminant of the established wheat and barley trade. Because of this accidental introduction, many viewed oats as a weed and competition for the better-known wheat and barley plants. They were eventually adopted as a prominent crop in Europe due to how well adapted oats are the cooler, wetter climate of the region.
Oats have been cultivated since ancient Roman times as feed for horses. The British emigrants introduced oats to North America in the 17th century and they have been cultivated here ever since. Today, most cultivated oats are primarily bailed and sold as feed, however much is grown for food as well and will continue to be cultivated in larger and larger quantities as its health benefits become more widely known. The biggest oat-producing countries are Russia, Canada, United States, Australia, around the Baltic Sea, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and Germany. The best time to harvest the seed is when it is immature, or in its milky phase, and then to tincture it the same day.
Directions
To add to your bath; place two cups of oatstraw in a muslin cloth and add to the bathwater, swishing it around. Or, you can make a strong oat tea and pour directly into your bath. To enhance your experience, tie 1/2 cup of oatmeal in a soft cloth and use to cleanse the skin after a nice soak in the bath.
To make a tea; use one to two teaspoons of oatstraw to one cup of boiling water. Let steep for ten minutes, strain and enjoy. To enhance the tonifying and soothing benefits, combine with lemon balm, nettles, skullcap, chamomile or passion flower.
Suggested Uses
While consuming oatstraw steeped as a tea is most common, you can also use it as a simple tincture or take it in capsules, and use it in a soothing bath.
Safety Guidelines
No known precautions. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before using herbal products, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, or on any medications.
More Information
Botanical Name: Avena sativa
Form: Cut & Sifted
Origin: United States of America
Certification and Values
Kosher
No Artificial Ingredients
Non ETO
Non Irradiated
Organic
Please note:
There is a maximum purchase limit of 6 oz per herb.
Orders exceeding this amount may require up to 2 weeks to ship.
Pickup available at The Mercantile Apothecary
Usually ready in 24 hours