Avena sativa

oat

Alternative nutrition
Oats are regarded by many as a healthy food; they are rich in beta-glucans, a type of soluble fibre, which reduces serum cholesterol by up to 10%. Oats also contains avenalin and avenin, proteins which are nearly as high in quality as soy protein and equal to that of meat, milk and eggs; the protein yield of hull-less kernel is up to 24%, the highest of all cereals.

Herbal medicine
An annual grass that contains proteins (e.g., avenalin), alkaloids (e.g., trigonelline), fats, minerals (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc), saponins, a sterol flavonoid and vitamin B; they are used as a nerve tonic and for depression and insomnia.

Avena sativa,

n See oats.

Avena

a genus of cereal plants of the grass family Poaceae (Graminae).

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Avena pubescens

oatgrass may cause ergotism (see rye ergot1) when infested with Claviceps purpurea.

Avena sativa

cereal oats, a major feed for animals as grain hay or grazing crop. May cause poisoning by nitrite, a nutritional deficiency of magnesium leading to hypomagnesemia, or mycotoxicosis when the crop is infested with unspecified fungi. See also oat grain.