Herbs are thought to be soothing, calming and relaxing. They are safer than synthetic drugs, which have a list of side effects. For someone who is interested in alternative medicine, oat straw tea is not an unknown name.
Oat straw tea is used to control stress, UTI infections, mood swings and increase libido. The traditional use also explains the use of oat straw tea to alleviate stress.
The botanical name of oat straw is Avena sativa. It is an incredible plant, which offers physical and emotional benefits. It is full of nutrients that make up these unique properties of it.
Oat straw belongs to the milky oats category, which secretes a white sap during the milky stage.
These types of oats are very beneficial for the health. For this reason, Avena sativa is considered as a trophorestorative plant.
It is a name given to plants, which benefit a particular organ of the human body. In case of oat straw, this organ is the brain. All these oat straw remedies help to boost the cognitive functions.
What are the health benefits of Oat Straw tea?
Ask anyone about the benefits of eating oats; the most common answer to hear is the cholesterol reduction ability of oats straw. The most notable advantage of oat straw is its cholesterol controlling ability.
“The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” has published a study on cholesterol-lowering effects on oat through randomized controlled trials.
It suggested that only adding ≥3 g oat β-glucan per day in the diet reduces LDL and total cholesterol by 0.25 mmol/L and 0.30 mmol/L, respectively. It doesn’t change HDL cholesterol level and triglycerides.
Eating oats are healthy and beneficial, but the effects of stems, flowers and milky seeds of the oat plant will amaze you more. That is what we call “oat straw.”
You can use oat straw in the form of an infusion or tea. It helps in some remedies for bones, skin, sexual health and much more. It is high in nutrients, which provides the best effects of oat straw on the body.
Oat straw has also a maximum number of antioxidants. “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” published a study by the Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin. It is on the antioxidant capacity of oat extracts by using the beta-carotene bleaching method.
The total phenolic content of the oat plant was significantly correlated with its antioxidant activity particularly contents of phenolic and total antioxidants.
These research findings tell that oat and its products can contribute to daily antioxidant phytonutrients. Another study certifies the same benefits of oat straw tea.
It is by USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, which has investigated the antioxidant capacity of oats with a particular emphasis on inhibition of low-density lipoprotein oxidation and oxygen radical absorbance capacity. It explains why a daily intake of oat straw tea is beneficial for health.
- Benefits of Oat straw tea for Bones, Skin, Hair, and Nails
Oat straw tea helps to fortify the bones. It heals the degraded and broken bones, the recovery by using oat straw tea is very speedy.
It is due to the high calcium content, only one cup of oat straw infusion has 300 mg of calcium and all necessary nutrients. For this reason, oat straw acts as a natural bone strength booster.
For bones, the best is to combine oat straw with other herbs such as horsetail and comfrey. Highly prevailing nutrients like vitamin B complex and silica helps the hair, nails, and skin to be healthy.
- Benefits of Oat Straw tea for stress and cognitive boost
Wikipedia defines nerviness as a term that is used for the medicines, which calm the nerves.
Oat straw is a natural nervine, which directly influences the central nervous system. It is beneficial against stress, anxiety, depression, fear, nervousness, and insomnia.
Using oat straw tea daily will help an over-stressed mind. It boosts the energy, which is required for all brain functions. In this way, oat straw tea improves focus, concentration, and memory.
- Benefits of Oat Straw tea for kidney
Oat straw is a natural diuretic. In a tea form, oat straw increases the urine flow, which is helpful in some health conditions.
Oat straw tea is best for kidney stones and urinary tract infections.
Diuretics usually help by compelling the kidneys to add more amount of sodium in the urine, which is a way to take more water with it.
When the fluid running inside your veins will be less, the pressure on the arterial wall will automatically be less.
If you want to use oat straw as a diuretic, the best is to consult a physician first, especially when you already have a relevant medical condition.
- External uses of Oat Straw tea
Other than oral use, there are some ways to use oat straw. You can use it for some skin conditions such as sunburn, rash, shingles, eczema, etc.
Use the infusion of oat straw on the affected area directly. You can also use oat straw tea and used tea bags to apply on the skin.
For a complete skin condition, add tea to the full bath. It helps to overcome all general skin conditions. It also reduces vaginal dryness.
What is Oat Straw infusion and how to make it?
An infusion of oat straw is the simplest way to make a daily use product. Herbal infusions are a concentrated form of the herb, which has all the vitamins and minerals in it.
Infusion is not a tea; it is not necessary to consume it as a hot beverage. Usually, it takes 4-8 hours and overnight mostly to make oat straw infusion. It makes the effects of herbs to infuse in the water more and increase the user benefits.
The best for adults is to use one to four cups of oat straw infusion per day. For children, more than one cup of oat straw tea is not suitable.
Oat Straw infusion recipe
Ingredients
- Oat straw- I cup
- Quart water- 1
- Quart size jar with lid- 1
Instructions
- Take a medium-size pot and put it on the flame.
- Take oat straw and add it to the jar.
- Add water to the pot and let it boil.
- After boiling, pour it into the jar.
- Make sure that the water has covered oat straw completely.
- Stir it well.
- Let it cool in 10-15 minutes.
- Cover it with a lid.
- Leave it for 4-8 hours or overnight.
- Use it the next day; you can keep it refrigerated for three days at maximum.
Cautions for Oat Straw tea
Oat straw has all the above-listed benefits in its natural form. To use oat straw tea for improved health, it is better to use it in its original way.
The best is to make an infusion with the whole herb rather than using the packaged tea bags of oat straw tea.
In this way, you will get the maximum amount of the nutrients, which are usually less if you are using tea bags.
The only contradiction with oat straw tea is that it is not suitable for you if you are sensitive to gluten. Oats have this ability to cross-react with gluten during growth or processing.
Oat straw, being a product of oats sometimes also shows this property. It is better to try it once before a regular usage.
“Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology” has published a literature review on the safe consumption of oats for celiac disease patients.
It correlates some studies are recognized people with celiac disease to be clinical intolerant to oats.
Celiac disease is a genetic, autoimmune disease, which is triggered when the patient consumes anything that has a protein called gluten in it.
Due to the possible risks of the presence of gluten in oat straw tea, it is advised not to use it in case of gluten intolerance.
Best Oat Straw tea recipe to try at home
When you are convinced to use oats straw, the next is to find out a simple way to brew it.
For tea lovers, using herbal tea is better than using infusion alone.
Following is the easiest way to make oat straw tea at home.
The traditional recipe of Oat Straw tea
Ingredients
- Oat straw infusion- 3⁄4 cup.
- Milk- 1 ½ cup (you can use any milk of your choice, i.e., almond, soy, dairy, etc.).
- Organic honey- 1-2 tablespoons.
- Cinnamon- ½ teaspoon.
- Maca powder- ¼ teaspoon.
Instructions
- Take oat straw infusion in a jar.
- Take a medium size pot and add milk to it.
- Add honey and the powders.
- Mix well till the milk becomes smooth.
- Pour this mixture into the jar with oat straw infusion.
- Cover it with it and shake it well.
- Pour the mixture into a cup and sip it instantly.
- You can also cool it down and save it for later.
Additional recipe- Oats and herbs instant energy balls
Ingredients
- Rolled oats- 2-3 cups
- Peanut butter/Almond butter- 2 cups
- Organic honey- 1 ½ cups
- Cocoa powder- ¼ cup
- Any green powder of your choice- 1ounce
- Reishi mushroom powder- 1 ounce
- Ashwagandha powder- ½ ounce
- Cinnamon powder- ½ ounce or as per taste
**Additionally, you can add coconut flakes- 1 ½ cups
Instructions
- Take a large bowl, combine oats, honey, and butter into it.
- Add cocoa, all herbs, green powder and mix it all well.
- Taste it and add any ingredient if it is less than your preference.
- Make bite-size balls from this dough.
- Roll it into coconut flakes (roasted) for the extra flavor.
- Refrigerate it and store it in Tupperware on layers of wax paper.
- Eat it for the powerful energy boost.
What are the safety concerns with using Oat straw tea?
Fortunately, there are no side effects or contradictions for using oat straw products. It is safe to even use during pregnancy and nursing. You can use it daily without any potential risk to health.
If you have any medical condition, yet plan to use Avena sativa, talk to your herbalist or healthcare provider first. Make sure that it doesn’t interact with your regular medicines.
Frequently asked questions about Oat Straw tea
- Is oat straw a medicinal herb?
Oat straw is a part of the oat plant, which has health benefits, but it is not as such considered as a medicinal plant. However, the straw of this plant has therapeutic effects.
- Is oat straw tea safe for daily use?
Yes, oat straw is safe even for daily use. It has no fast action chemicals, which are dosage sensitive. One can use it daily.
- Can you give oat straw tea to children?
Unlike the medicinal herbs, you can give oat straw infusion or oat straw tea to children too. Make sure that it doesn’t exceed only one cup a day.
- Can pregnant and nursing mothers use Oat straw tea?
Pregnant and nursing mothers can use oat straw tea and infusion. The adult dosage of oat straw tea is 3-4 cups a day.
- Is oat straw tea also available in supplement form?
Oat straw is available in supplement form, but it is better to use oat straw tea for soothing effects.
- Can you mix oat straw with other herbs in tea?
Yes, oat straw can be mixed with other herbs to make tea. Make sure that you are not using a very high quantity of any of them.
- Where to get oat straw tea?
Oat straw is available in all health stores. It is also available online. It is not at all expensive for the benefits that it provides.