What is Lemongrass Tea? 🌱Origin, Nutrition and how to drink

October 18, 2023October 17, 2023

If you’re wondering “what is Lemongrass tea?🌱” you’re not alone! This flavorful herbal tea has gained popularity in recent years thanks to its unique taste and numerous health benefits.

In this article, we’ll dive into the world of lemongrass tea, answering all your questions and sharing everything you need to know about this delicious and refreshing drink.

Quotes of tea at Today

“A must have oil: Lemongrass can give you a boost when you are too tired to think clearly.”
― Amy Leigh Mercree, Essential Oils Handbook: Recipes for Natural Living

What is lemongrass?

Lemongrass is a type of herb that has a lovely lemony aroma. This herb is made from the stalk of the lemongrass plant, also known as Cymbopogon citratus, which grows in various tropical regions, particularly Southeast Asia. You’ll find it used in many delicious Thai dishes and cuisine from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and India.

What is lemongrass tea?

Lemongrass tea is a tasty and beneficial beverage derived from the lemongrass plant. It has a delightful tangy taste that provides a refreshing and calming sensation, which may assist in reducing discomfort, anxiety, and combating depression. Although it’s often associated with Asian cuisine, lemongrass is now grown in many countries and has become a popular ingredient worldwide. It’s even used to make lemongrass essential oil!

When brewed as tea, lemongrass has a delicate and herbal flavour that blends well with other types of tea, including white, green, oolong, black, ginger, and rooibos. It’s also caffeine-free, making it a great alternative to traditional teas.

While lemongrass is typically grown in hot climates, it can also be grown in a pot at home. Keep it away from frost and harsh conditions, and cut it right after using it for tea or cooking.

Lemongrass tea origin

Lemongrass, also known as Cymbopogon (barbed wire grass, silky heads, Cochin grass, Malabar grass, oily heads, citronella grass or fever grass), is a tall and long-lasting type of grass belonging to approximately 45 grass species.

In Asia, Australia, and Africa’s tropical and subtropical areas, these grasses are typically found.

Lemongrass plant

In its ideal setting, lemongrass is a plant with red base stems that may reach heights of up to 10 feet. In wet, rich soil, it grows best throughout the summer.

India is the largest producer of lemongrass, growing over 2 million pounds each year. The plant is typically cultivated along the Western Ghats mountain range and near the foothills of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim in the Himalayan Mountains.

If you’re considering planting lemongrass, be aware that its roots tend to spread and take over, so it’s a good idea to use physical barriers when planting it near other plants.

Each stalk of lemongrass has several layers that grow tightly around its core. The outermost layers are tough and green, similar to the outer layer of a cornhusk. When you peel away the outer layers, you’ll find the familiar inner white core of the lemongrass stalk, which is best used for cooking.

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Medicinal properties in Lemongrass tea

In Asia, people not only enjoy lemongrass as an aromatic ingredient in food, but they also enjoy drinking cold and hot lemongrass tea. People in Japan, Korea, China, and India usually use fresh leaves to make lemongrass tea.

While in Asia, tea is mainly prepared with fresh ingredients, in Germany, it is more the dried lemongrass used for the tea. Anyone who buys dried lemongrass should always be aware that, in this case, the aromatic note is almost wholly lost. Retailers often add artificial flavors so that lemongrass tea also tastes like lemon.

On the other hand, Fresh lemongrass tea still has all its flavors and tastes incomparably good, like fresh lemons. Lemongrass tea is perfect when it has a little hint of rose petals.

Due to its numerous essential oils, lemongrass tea is not only antimicrobial but also has an analgesic and antispasmodic effect. This makes it an effective herbal treatment for indigestion, stomach discomfort, vomiting, and nausea.
Additionally, lemongrass tea is used to treat headaches, fever, and colds. Particularly well-liked here as a hot beverage. When it’s hot in summer, the fruity lemongrass tea also tastes delicious cold with ice cubes.

Ingredients and nutritional values

Lemongrass is a revitalizing herbal tea with a special mix of spicy and lemony aromas and a flavorful taste enhanced with citral.

People all over the world relish lemongrass as a delightful herbal infusion. It’s caffeine-free and can be mixed harmoniously with herbs (such as ginger or mint) and teas for added flavor.

However, the most important medicinal ingredients are citral and limonene essential oils.

Lemongrass contains the following nutritional values per stick (about 20 grams):

Calorific value: 19.8 kcal
Protein: 0.4g
Carbohydrates: 5.1 g
Fat: 0.1g

Lemongrass – contains many essential minerals and vitamins, its beneficial effect cannot be denied. Lemongrass has many nutrients that are important for the body.

The plant comprises, for example, high proportions of:

Vitamins B and C
Iron
Magnesium
Zinc
Manganese
Potassium
Calcium
Phosphorus
Copper

The vitamin and mineral bomb provides an essential supplement to a balanced diet and can thus support many bodily functions such as circulation or muscle.

How to drink delicious lemon grass tea

Fresh lemongrass

Lemongrass is a versatile herb that can be enjoyed in three main ways. If you grow lemongrass at home, you can make a refreshing lemongrass tea using fresh roots. Cut four roots and boil them in a liter of water for about 4 minutes. For the best aroma, use freshly harvested seeds.

Dried lemongrass

Dried lemongrass is the easiest to obtain and has a longer shelf life. Enjoy it as an iced tea by soaking it in cold water. Put about 3g per person in a pot and steam for 5 minutes for a hot drink. Soak the dried lemongrass in water for 2 hours to make iced tea.

Powdered lemongrass

Powdered lemongrass is less common but is excellent for cooking and making sweets. You can also make herbal tea by dissolving the powder in hot water. This method is super easy and highly recommended.

How to enjoy lemongrass tea?

Feeling tired after studying or working? Or do you need a pick-me-up in the morning? Try a cup of lemongrass tea! It’s known for its refreshing qualities and can help boost your mood.

While hot lemongrass tea is always an option, try it with cold water for the ultimate refreshing experience. The aroma is simply invigorating!

Did you know that lemongrass can also be used as a fragrance material? It pairs perfectly with other herbs and creates a lovely scent. For example, mixing it with sweet rose tea can create a pleasant harmony with a hint of sourness.

And even strong-smelling teas like Mate can be enjoyed when blended with lemongrass, thanks to its refreshing aroma.

Get Refreshed and Energized with Lemongrass Essential Oil

Lemongrass oil is a versatile oil that has many uses. Here are some ways to use it:

Keep mosquitoes and insects away by diffusing the oil in a room with a diffuser. Mix a few drops of the oil with a small amount of water.
Add around 12 drops of the oil to your bathwater for a fragrant and enjoyable bath.
Dilute 2-3 drops of the oil in 2 teaspoons of almond oil and use it for a relaxing massage.
Mix a few drops of the oil into your moisturizer and apply it to your skin.
Add a few drops of oil to boiling water to alleviate coughs and colds, and inhale the steam.

What are its unexpected benefits?

Lemongrass tea is excellent for digestion and can help with stomach issues and constipation due to its citral compound. Lemongrass tea, on the other hand, contains polyphenols and caffeine, which can boost your metabolism and detoxify your body. Its high antioxidant content can also help prevent chronic diseases.

Lemongrass tea can also boost your immune system by battling free radicals and viruses. Last but not least, its calming effects can help lessen worry and tension while easing pain and inflammation brought on by a variety of conditions including arthritis, a sore throat, a headache, or a damaged ankle.

A study by Elsevier found regular drinkers had lower levels of triglycerides and LDL. So why not swap your cuppa for a healthy sip?

The versatile healing effects of lemongrass can be attributed to the variety of valuable ingredients. These include in particular:

Flavonoids
Essential Oils
Antioxidants
Terpenoids
Phenolic compounds

In summary, some health benefits of lemongrass tea can be mentioned as: weight loss, anxiety, digestion, inflammation, and skin.

Who is Lemongrass tea not suitable for?

In general, consuming Lemongrass is safe. However, if you have an allergy to Lemongrass, you should avoid consuming it.

Allergic reactions may include swelling, difficulty breathing, or rashes. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is advisable to consult your doctor before consuming Lemongrass.

While breastfeeding, it’s best to skip the Lemongrass seasoning in your meals as it could seep into your milk, and some babies might find its potent taste hard to handle.

What is a unique thing about lemongrass tea?

Lemongrass contains the inflammation-fighting compounds chlorogenic acid, isoorientin, and swert saponin.

Numerous unhealthy health issues, such as pain and heart disease, are influenced by inflammation. As such, lemongrass tea could be a beneficial drink for people to incorporate into their diet.

Mint vs lemongrass tea: Which one is better?

Mint tea and lemongrass tea both have a refreshing, slightly sweet flavor. However, mint tea is made with mint leaves, while lemongrass tea is made with lemongrass stalks. Lemongrass tea has a slightly citrusy flavor, while mint tea has a more herbaceous flavor.

Does lemongrass tea affect your sleep?

Lemongrass tea is an herbal tea often used by people to soothe themselves before bedtime. The essential oil in the plant is said to be a natural sedative, which can help induce sleep when taken at night. But does this popular tea make you sleepy? And if it does, how can it work its magic?

Research has shown that when the body experiences stress-induced problems such as anxiety or sleeplessness, it produces cortisol.

Chemicals like adrenaline and noradrenaline, which excite our central nervous system, are released by the brain as a result of cortisol. These chemicals are thought to play a significant role in insomnia.

Sip on lemongrass tea to calm down without getting drowsy! Its terpenoids and limonene compounds mess with stress hormones. This is why drinking lemongrass tea before bed might help you sleep better!

How Does Lemongrass Tea Help You Sleep?

This plant is pretty cool – it has a ton of essential oils! And get this, those oils have terpenoids that can calm your body down without making you sleepy. Scientists just figured this out!

Sip lemongrass tea before bed for better sleep. It reduces stress-induced insomnia by calming the mind and body and blocking sleep-disrupting hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline. These compounds are thought to play a significant role in insomnia.

Research has shown that lemongrass tea can reduce its effect on your brain, inducing relaxation and helping you sleep better. It sounds like this popular herbal tea does indeed make you sleepy!

A Delicious Tea Recipe for Your Morning Routine

If you enjoy making your tea, we have a delicious recipe that is quick and easy to prepare. Give it a try!

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon of honey
1 piece of ginger, sliced to about 5mm thickness
250ml of boiling water
1 part of Lemongrass, about 3cm long

Preparation:

Peel and slice the ginger into thin pieces.
Crush the Lemongrass using a kitchen knife, then slice it thinly.
Place the ginger and Lemongrass into a tea infuser or tea bag, and pour boiling water over it. Let it steep for 10 minutes in a teapot or cup.
Remove the tea infuser or tea bag, and add the honey to the tea.

Tip: You can easily buy lemongrass tea bags on amazon or your nearest supermarket.

Conclusion

A cup of tea before bed is a long-standing tradition for many people. But what about when you want to drink a cup of tea and then sleep?

Lemongrass tea has been shown to have a relaxing effect on the body and mind. Lemongrass can help you fall asleep faster and make your sleep more restful. It’s also been shown to reduce anxiety, aid with digestive issues, and have other health benefits.

Thanks for SpiriteaDrinks

I’m Shanna, creator of Spiritea Drinks. I’m all about teaching people to grow their own food, tea, cook what they harvest, and eat with the seasons.