We’ve all been there: wintertime with holiday chaos, long to-do lists, and frazzled nerves. For centuries, herbalists have relied on Oats (Avena sativa) as an ingredient for creating remedies that help to soothe and restore those frayed nerves. Let’s look at this multi-purpose plant and explore some of the ways it has traditionally been used to bring some peace in the depths of winter.
Milky Oat Tops, Oat Straw, and Oatmeal: What’s the Difference?
Oats are commonly planted as a cool weather cover and cereal crop. You may be more used to seeing oats on your breakfast table in the form of oatmeal. This warm porridge is made from the harvested seeds of the mature oat plant.
“Milky oats” is the term for the immature seeds because they give off a milky sap when squeezed. These seeds are used to create a tincture with alcohol. Milky oat tops contain vitamins A, B, and C, as well as minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Oat straw is the dried stems and leaves of the oat plant that can be used in a long-steeped tea or infusion full of nourishing vitamins and minerals. In both cases, these herbal remedies are typically used as daily, long-term support for the nervous system rather than a quick solution.
What Is a Trophorestorative and What Does Research Show?
A trophorestorative is an herbal remedy that nourishes and restores a particular body part or organ. Traditionally herbalists used milky oats as a nourishing tonic for people with nervous exhaustion. As mentioned earlier, it was used like a supplement, rather than a quick cure.
Modern studies into green oat extracts have reported improvements in attention, memory, stress response, and sleep. Other studies have shown that oat extracts may help protect nerve cells. While these findings are promising, the benefits of oats in everyday preparations have not been well studied.
Growing and Harvesting Your Own Milky Oats
Oats are an easy-to-grow cool-weather annual plant. It is often used as a cover crop that is grown in the early spring and then mowed down to return nutrients to the soil. It can also be sown in the late summer in mild climates (zone 8 and above). They grow best in full sun and well-drained soil.
Directly sow the seeds by broadcasting them and lightly rake into prepared well-draining soil. Harvest the milky tops when they are green, or allow them to mature to harvest groats (mature oat seeds) that can then be processed into oat meal or flour. The dried oat straw and leaves can be used for teas and infusions.
Creating Your Own Milky Oats Tincture
Timing is important if you want to create your own milky oats tincture. It takes about 60 to 80 days from planting for oat plants to mature and start to create the seed pods used for milky oats. When the plant is filled with young green seed pods that produce a milky substance when squeezed, you know the time is right for harvest.
What You Need
Ingredients
- Fresh oat milky tops
- 150-proof cane or grain alcohol (75% ABV)
- Water
Supplies
- Scale
- Blender or food processor
- Clean, dry glass canning jar with lid
- Cheesecloth or fine mesh muslin
Process
- Weigh the fresh milky oats and multiply the weight by two to calculate the amount of liquid you will need. (The math is easier with metric here, trust us. Example: 100 grams of milky oats will need 200 milliliters of liquid)
- Mix your liquid in a ratio of 75% alcohol and 25% water
- Pour your liquid into a blender or food processor and add your milky oats. This will ensure that all the milky juices remain in your tincture. You are looking to break it down just enough that your liquid will be able to cover everything during maceration, not a full puree.
- Pour your mixture into a sanitized glass jar and cover it with a lid. Be sure to label it with the date.
- Put the jar in a cool, dark place to macerate for 4 to 6 weeks, shaking it once a week or so.
- When it’s ready, strain out the plant material through a cheese cloth or muslin and transfer the finished tincture to an amber dropper bottle for ease of use. Kept in a dark glass bottle in a cool place, this tincture will last 3 to 5 years.
To use the tincture, add 1 to 3 droppers full to water, juice, or tea 1 to 3 times daily. It is best to start small and see how your body responds.
Plan Your Garden For Winter Health
Sow a patch of oats and reap the abundant rewards for your homestead, soil vitality, and herbal apothecary. Harvesting the young tops while in their milky phase allows you to prepare a soothing, deeply restorative remedy to quiet frayed nerves. Should you choose to let the plants mature fully, you will enjoy a bounty of wholesome grains alongside versatile straw for home and farmstead needs. Bringing this resilient plant into your seasonal rotation enriches your garden beds while fostering self-sufficiency and year-round vitality for your family.
A Note on Safety:
Because milky oats and oat straw infusion are herbal remedies, be sure to contact your physician before using. Oat allergies or celiac disease are reasons to avoid this remedy. It is not recommended if pregnant or breastfeeding as the tonic contains alcohol. If you are experiencing ongoing low mood, sleep problems or exhaustion affecting daily life, reach out to a medical professional rather than dismissing these issues as winter nerves.
