This weekend I had a great DM on my social media, they wanted to know what was better – milky oats or oatstraw. It was a LOADED question and I was more than happy to answer. It inspired a video and of course a post to go along with it.

Milky oats work quicker in an acute situation, oatstraw offers support over time. It’s why I like to recommend oatstraw  tea as a building tonic and milky oats as a tincture. In fact, my favourite way to utilize this medicine, is to throw a little tincture into my infusion (tea). This way you get the best of both worlds. Oats are restorative, nutritive and a nervine tonic – it builds slowly over time. Great for a restful sleep, coping skills and when you simply feel like you are being stretched too thin.

Problem with milky oats is they need to be harvested when the “milky” part is…well…milky. They need to be fresh and not dried. It’s also a pretty small harvest window. Sometimes you will see dried immature seed heads sold as “milky oats,” but this is technically incorrect and to the newbie herbalist, super confusing. Since dried oatstraw is used very differently than the fresh alcohol extract I want to make sure the difference is clear. A fresh milky oats alcohol extract is a beautiful, soothing restorative for our nervous system. I have mine made (for personal use) by someone I trust who harvests it properly and it’s tinctured it right away. No freezing, no drying. It’s as potent as one can get.

The milky stage is literally only for a few days out of the year (early spring). Luckily they are pretty easy to grow.

I have long cherished oats for their women’s health properties, although it is good for anyone really. I’ve used it for women with adrenal issues, those who are in need of mineral rejuvenation, for postpartum depression (which I also pair with progesterone but that’s a whole other topic).

As a nervine it is considered to be grounding and moistening.