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Medicinal Plant of the Year 2017 Saathafer helps against skin and gastrointestinal diseases
Most people think of Oats first on horse feed or oatmeal for breakfast. The grain is not only good for filling your stomach, it is also healthy. The oat oats have now been declared the medicinal plant of the year 2017.
Oatmeal chosen as the medicinal plant of the year
Many people only know oats in their diet through oatmeal or biscuits. And although this cereal is one of the healthiest ever. Oats are not only gluten-free but also rich in nutrients. The Study Group "History of Development of the Medicine Clinic" at the University of Würzburg has named the oat oat to the medicinal plant of the year 2017.
The oat oat was named the medicinal plant of the year 2017. The cereal can be used inter alia for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. (Image: naturenow / fotolia.com) For the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases
"If we talk about medicinal plants, one certainly does not immediately think of cereals," says a statement from the university. "The oats (Avena sativa), however, provide several, very different remedies."
As Johannes Gottfried Mayer of the study group explained, his range of uses extends from the treatment of the skin via gastrointestinal diseases to the prevention of atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis) and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Thrives even on barren soil
The oat oat, which, like wheat, rye or barley, belongs to the grasses (poaceae), in contrast to the relatives mentioned, does not develop its grains in ears but in multiply branched panicles, which is why an oat plant yields less yield and harvests harvests is. In addition, the grains are enclosed by husks, which must be removed by a special Mahlgang.
However, the selected medicinal plant also thrives on barren soil and in regions with high rainfall. According to Mayer, oats are superior to other cereals in terms of nutritional value and, last but not least, flavor.
Three different remedies
The oat provides a total of three different remedies: In addition to the oat straw win recently herb and grain in importance. The oat straw is used for baths, which are to help with skin injuries and itching.
For the use of the herb, the oats are harvested before it is flowering. The herb is rich in anti-inflammatory flavonoids and immunomodulatory saponins and has a high content of minerals like potassium, calcium or magnesium. Extracts of oat grass are used, among other things, in atopic dermatitis.
According to the study, up to 20 percent of children and 3 percent of adults in industrialized countries suffer from this disease. In the 1990s, a particularly suitable white oat variety was obtained in France, which is free of proteins, including gluten. Corresponding skincare products such as creams, body milk and bath additives are particularly well tolerated by allergy sufferers.
Positive effects on cholesterol and blood sugar levels
As the university further informs, the fruit, the oat grain, is used as a fully ripe grain. In addition to a high content of vitamins B1 and B6, it also provides a lot of fiber. The beta-glucans are of particular interest, accounting for about half of the total fiber content in oats.
According to Mayer, oat beta-glucans have effects on the digestive tract and metabolism, with positive effects on cholesterol and blood sugar levels in the foreground. The European Food Safety Authority confirmed in its 2011 study that eating beta-glucan from oats can help reduce cholesterol levels.
The study group "history of development of pharmacology", which selects the "medicinal plant of the year", chooses according to their own account each "plants that have an interesting history of culture and medicine and whose effect has been tested in pharmacological and clinical studies." Last year, real cumin was voted medicinal plant of the year. (Ad)