Oats: a cereal, countless properties

Oat, also known as common oat, is a cereal that belong to the Poaceae family. The height of its plant reaches 5-12 dm and its inflorescences have the shape of a large and rich pyramidal panicle formed by several spikelets. Descendant of a wild oat spread from the Fertile Crescent to Europe, it was domesticated about 3.00/4.500 years ago; In what place? In the European continent where, thanks to climatic conditions favorable to the growth of oat, it soon became a very important cereal. The most cultivated species is called Avena sativa while the most infesting and difficult to eliminate is called Avena fatua.

Its nutritional characteristics? Rich in carbohydrates and fiber, and in calcium, magnesium and potassium, wholemeal oats is an excellent remineralizer; if consumed in the form of cereals it becomes an excellent source of Vitamin B1 and thiamin. However, its properties are not finished here, in fact, thanks to Vitamins B, C, E and avenin it promotes digestion, lowers cholesterol, helps fight stress and provides great benefits as regards our body's energy, thyroid and nervous system.

Beyond food consumption, oat is also often used in the cosmetic field. Its main virtues? First of all it is hypoallergenic and this makes it perfect for all skin types without fear of irritation; Anti-inflammatory and anti-itching, it is therefore suitable in cases of atopic dermatitis, eczema, insect bites and redness; Moisturizing and protective: thanks to the strong presence of beta-glucans, it effectively retains the water contained in the skin tissues, avoiding its dispersion. Finally, oat also have cleansing properties thanks to the presence of saponins, and are therefore able to effectively remove dead cells and impurities from the skin and, thanks to the avenanthramide polyphenols and their antioxidant power, they are also an ally in preventing the typical signs of skin aging.