Milky Oat Tincture Recipe

MILKY OAT TINCTURE

• 1 oz fresh milky oats per 2 oz of 95% alcohol
• 1 lb of oats makes about 1 quart of finished tincture
• This is about a 6 month supply if taking 5 mLs per day

Add oats to blender with alcohol and blend until oats are pulverized. They don't need to be totally liquefied, you just need to crack them open so that the insides are exposed to the alcohol. Fill your jar with the mixture, making sure that the oats are totally covered in liquid. I like to start with 1 part oats to 2 parts alcohol, then add a bit more liquid as needed to keep the oats submerged. If after a couple days, some of the oats are exposed to the air, add more alcohol. Cover and let sit for 3+ weeks, strain out the herbs and you did it!

This is very strong alcohol, dont add straight to your tongue. I recommend putting a few droppers in water in the morning and evening.

Milky Oats  - Avena sativa

Origins: Western Europe

Description: Milky oats are harvested from the same plant that we grow for oatmeal, but for medicine the oats are picked after flowering but before hardening into a seed, when they are in their milky stage instead. During this stage, you can squeeze the oat and a white latex will ooze out - this is where the magic lies!

Constituents: proteins, flavones, glycosides, vitamins, starch

Energetics: sweet, neutral to slightly moistening

Parts used: immature seed heads, straw/leaves

Herbal actions: nervine tonic (specifically - nervous system trophorestorative), nutritive, demulcent

Uses: While many medicinal plants have wide ranging and complex effects on the body, making them useful for many different things, milky oats are a bit more narrow in their action but incredibly effective at what they do! Milky oats are specifically indicated for long-term support of the nervous system, to make it more resilient to stress, exhaustion and depression. Trophorestoratives are indicated for a weakness or loss of vitality in a system, usually from a long term issue. In the case of milky oats, we can address a deficiency of the nervous system, which can happen as a result of chronic stress, chronic illness, addiction recovery, postpartum recovery, etc. Folks who have especially sensitive nervous systems may also have ongoing struggles with an overworked nervous system. Consistent, long-term use (at least a month) of milky oats tincture can help to restore vitality to the nervous system. It does this by soothing the myelin sheath that encases our nerves, as well as by supplying the body with tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is required to produce some neurotransmitters like serotonin and melatonin.

Freshly harvested milky oats should be tinctured to capture these properties. Dried oat straw (the grass/leaf portion of the plant) and dried oat tops are also medicinal, but they have less of an effect on the nervous system and are more so consumed for their nutritional qualities. The dried parts should be steeped for 4+ hours in a tea to best extract the many vitamins and minerals. Milky oats tincture works best when taken consistently over a long period of time and in high doses compared to other herbs. Typical dosage is 2-3 droppers full, 2-3 times per day (5-12 mLs per day). I typically just add it to my water throughout the day!

Safety: No side effects or contraindications known. Safe for consistent, long-term use.