Herbs - Avena Sativa (Wild Oats)

What Is It?

Avena Sativa, or Oats, are well known as the grain or seeds are used for porridge and breakfast Cereals. As a food Oats are known to be good for the heart as they keep blood fats under control. However, they also have other medicinal properties and are used in herbal medicine. 

Action

Avena Sativa seeds are not only a rich source of carbohydrate and soluble fibre, they also have the highest content of Iron, Zinc and Manganese compared to any other grain. In addition they contain compounds which are sedative and soothing to the brain and nervous system. A good herb as a nerve restorative and is also said to be aphrodisiac (hence the term ‘sowing your Oats’)

Uses

Our experts recommend Avena Sativa for the following disorders:

• Anxiety

Other information

• Avena Sativa does not interact with drugs so it is often used as a safe alternative to other herbs that are used for Anxiety, such as St John’ s wort, which cannot be taken with many prescription medications.
• Avena Sativa may also be of use in helping with drug withdrawal and is often combined with Valerian and Skullcap.
• Avena Sativa remedies are available as tablets or in tincture form. There is even a homoeopathic remedy.
• Oats are sometimes added to the bath as a topical treatment for the skin condition, Eczema.
• Avena Sativa can be used in tincture form for children aged above 1 year of age. Herb tincture dosage is lower than adult levels. A simple guide for children is one drop per stone of weight. If you are unsure see a herbalist or registered naturopath.

Cautions

• Generally, there are no side effects or contra-indications from using Avena Sativa herbal supplements.
• When this article was written there were no well-known negative drug interactions with Avena sativa.