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Lemongrass. Lemongrass – about beneficial properties, application, contraindications

Herbal teas useful and have a wide variety of effects on the human body. They refresh and improve emotional condition, soothe and restore strength. Some of them promote weight loss. From the article you will learn about the properties of lemongrass, how to brew it and use it correctly.

Beneficial properties of lemongrass

Lemongrass is a lemon grass that is traditional in Asian cuisine and is also common in African countries. It is used not only as a seasoning for many national dishes, but also as medicinal drug V folk medicine, as well as a source of essential oil in cosmetology.

You can also find other names for lemongrass - “Indian verbena”, “lemongrass”, “citronella”.

Parts of lemongrass such as the stem, leaves, and the base of the rosette have been used.

Chemical composition of lemongrass

Citral in lemongrass

It contains citral aldehyde, the concentration of which is up to 85%. It is thanks to him that tea brewed with lemongrass acquires a special spicy taste and citrus aroma. By the way, this substance is often used on an industrial scale as a flavoring agent. It is included in many pharmaceutical drugs.

Vitamin composition of lemongrass

All the value of lemongrass lies in the vitamins and microelements that the grass is rich in. It contains most of the B vitamins - B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, vitamin H, beta-carotene.

In addition, lemongrass is a source of methylheptenol, limonene, geraniol, myrcene.

Macro- and microelements in lemongrass

Lemongrass contains the necessary for normal life elements:

sodium for normal metabolism;
iron for correct exchange substances hormonal levels, storage and movement of oxygen in cells;
phosphorus for strong bones and teeth, muscle activity;
copper for hematopoiesis, tissue and cell development, immune system;
magnesium, which supports brain activity;
silicon for normal height and the formation of bone and connective tissue, reducing the rate of development of atherosclerosis;
potassium for kidneys and intestines, protein synthesis, transmission of nerve impulses;
zinc for metabolism, brain and nervous system activity, etc.

Effect of lemongrass on the body

Thanks to the rich chemical composition lemongrass has a beneficial effect on all systems of the human body:

restorative;
strengthens the immune system and the ability to resist infections;
relieves depression;
helps in the fight against stress;
restores the body's strength during physical and mental stress;
pain reliever;
prevents reproduction pathogenic microorganisms and bacteria;
increases the level of metabolism;
stimulates thyroid gland and lymphatic system;
activates blood circulation;
relieves spasms;
helps in the fight against viruses, fungi, infections.

Lemongrass: lemon grass, which you can different ways brew and drink drinks for health benefits

How to brew lemongrass?

Lemongrass can be brewed in several ways, using the herb as the main ingredient or as an addition to another drink.

Brewing Lemongrass Tea

The classic brewing recipe is 1 teaspoon of dried lemongrass per 250 ml of boiling water. The drink is infused for 3 to 7 minutes and consumed. To make it sweeter, use honey.

Brewing tea with lemongrass and mint

Lemongrass has a light sedative effect, but to slightly enhance it and enrich the drink with vitamins, add a few mint leaves to the tea.

Brewing and cooling lemongrass tea

In the summer heat, lemongrass tea brewed according to the basic recipe, cooled with pieces of ice or in the refrigerator, will help quench your thirst. You can add a slice of fresh lemon to it.

Brewing green tea with lemongrass

If you want to cook green tea with lemongrass, then use tea without flavorings or additives for the base. After brewing it according to the recipe, add a little lemongrass and steep for at least 3 minutes.

Indications for use of lemongrass tea

Lemongrass tea is not easy vitamin drink. It is almost universal and has therapeutic effect. Thus, its use is recommended for:

circulatory disorders;
obesity;
dizziness;
depressive states;
dermatological diseases;
diseases of the digestive system;
anemia;
rehabilitation after long-term illnesses;
kidney diseases;
active sports;

Lemongrass tea is useful for those who are weather sensitive or have difficulty with jet lag and acclimatization.

In addition, its use is important for athletes because lemongrass has a positive effect on muscle recovery and strengthens ligaments.

Contraindications to the use of lemongrass

With all my positive qualities lemongrass has a small list of contraindications. You need to stop using it:

pregnant women;
those suffering from increased excitability;
those who have epilepsy;
children under 12 years old;
for glaucoma;
for hypertension;
for symptoms of insomnia.

When including lemongrass tea in your diet, follow the rules proper nutrition And healthy image life. Unfortunately, the drink is not able to save a person from problems on its own. To achieve the effect, you need to make your own efforts, adjust your menu, lifestyle, and enlist the support of a specialist.

Lemongrass or lemongrass is a herbaceous cereal plant. It is also called lemongrass, citronella, shuttlebeard, and cymbologon. This plant is native to India, where it is used to prepare aromatic incense and in medicine. But lemon grass can be found in Cambodia and Thailand. In Malaysia, lemongrass used to be considered a sacred plant. Legends attribute to him magical properties protect from injury. The warriors uttered a special spell and rubbed their bodies with lemon grass to avoid death in battle. Currently, the above-ground part of the plant is widely used in cooking; it is added when preparing various dishes and aromatic tea.

Composition of lemongrass and its beneficial properties

Lemongrass contains many beneficial substances:

The main substance contained in lemon grass is citral. This substance provides a delicate aroma and spicy taste.

A drink is prepared based on plant stems, which is an excellent antidepressant and sedative. Tea helps protect nervous system from adverse influences. It can strengthen the immune system and increase the body's endurance.

Lemongrass tea helps with colds. This is a good diaphoretic, it effectively fights infections and viruses, and helps get rid of headaches. During breastfeeding tea can increase lactation. Lemongrass is a natural aphrodisiac. An infusion from this plant is used to get rid of extra pounds. It is drunk for anemia and for the prevention of cancer.

Lemongrass eliminates frontal sinuses, sinusitis, and sinusitis. You can brew the drink and take it with you on the road. It will help you withstand climate and time zone changes. At regular use drink, sensitivity to weather conditions decreases. Use in cases of poisoning makes it possible to remove toxic substances from the body. It is recommended to drink this tea for those who work in harmful conditions, it will help neutralize unpleasant consequences. The beneficial properties of the drink can be listed for a long time, but it is worth mentioning the contraindications.

Lemongrass contraindications

How to brew lemongrass

Lemongrass drink can be prepared in several ways.

Classic tea with lemongrass. For a glass of boiling water you will need a large spoon of dry herbs. You need to steep the tea drink for five minutes until it loses its beneficial properties. Then strain the drink and drink.

Drink with ginger. To prepare nutritious and healthy tea, you need to take 20 g of dry ginger, 20 g of dry sorghum, 10 g of tea of any kind. Pour boiling water over the mixture. The drink should be infused.

Green tea drink. 1 tsp. green tea and 1 tsp. lemongrass pour 0.5 liters of water (95°C). This tea needs to steep for 15 minutes.

A refreshing drink. In hot weather, lemongrass tea can quench your thirst. To do this, tea is prepared according to any of the above recipes; before drinking, you need to add ice to the drink.

You can add lemon balm or mint to lemon grass, they can enhance the calming effect of lemongrass. By drinking this drink, you can forget about stress.

Lemongrass essential oil

The essential oil is obtained from the dried aerial leaves of lemongrass. There are East Indian oils, which have a fresh, lemony, herbaceous aroma, and West Indian oils, which have hints of violet and lemon. The beneficial properties of the oil make it possible to use it in cosmetology and medicine. It relieves muscle and headache, stimulates blood circulation. Lemongrass oil prevents the development of varicose veins. Do not inhale lemongrass essential oil deeply; it can cause a sore throat and hoarseness.

Lemon grass is used to disinfect water and premises. The plant can repel insects. 10 drops of oil are added to a glass of water for disinfection. In some African countries it is specially grown to repel tsetse flies. To aromatize rooms, use 2-4 drops of oil. Sometimes essential oil lemon grass added to massage oil for aromatization. It is added to cosmetics.

Lemongrass or lemongrass is a cereal grass native to India, Cambodia and Thailand. The plant is also known as citronella, cymbopogon, blackbeard or lemongrass and is used in a variety of fields - medicine, cooking, and the beauty industry. Particularly popular are lemongrass tea and Tom Yum soup.

Lemongrass is loved not only for its pleasant lemony taste and aroma, but also for its versatility. After all, the herb can be used as tea leaves, a seasoning or an addition to nourishing mask. But few people think that lemongrass is a real storehouse of nutrients.

Its composition is rich in amino acids, trace elements, natural antioxidants and essential oils. In a unique combination, they have a beneficial effect on the body. Positive properties benefits from drinking lemongrass tea include:

the beneficial components of the plant in the drink, coupled with a pleasant taste and aroma, have a calming effect during stress, normalize sleep, and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system;
Lemon grass is often used for headaches, muscle pain, digestive problems, and to normalize metabolic processes in the body;
lemongrass is an excellent diaphoretic, effective in treating colds and relieving the condition during viral or infectious diseases;
strengthens immune system, removes waste and toxins.

But it is important to understand that no tea collection can replace complex treatment with specialized drugs. Lemongrass is only auxiliary, which will help keep the body in good shape when feeling unwell.

Contraindications to drinking tea with lemon grass, as well as dishes containing it, are:

If you are using the mixture for the first time, you should definitely check your body for allergies. To protect yourself, for the first time you need to drink only 40-50 ml of the drink. If no reactions appear the next day, then you can safely enjoy the wonderful taste and aroma.

Lemongrass Tea Recipes

Sorghum has a unique citrus aroma, which is why it is so popular in tea drinks. In this case, lemongrass can be used as an independent component during brewing, or supplemented with various ingredients:

Classic recipe. Pour 1 tablespoon of dry herb into a glass of boiling water. Leave for about 3-5 minutes, during which time it will fully reveal its bouquet. Strain and enjoy the wonderful taste and aroma.
With ginger. Mix 1 tablespoon lemon grass, small, cut into pieces fresh root ginger (or dry 20 g) and 1-2 teaspoons of green or black tea without flavoring. Pour boiling water over it. Infuse the drink for 5-7 minutes, then strain.
With tea. Place 1 teaspoon each of dried lemongrass and green tea into the teapot. Pour 500 ml hot boiled water with a temperature of 90-95° C. Leave for 5-10 minutes. Strain before use.

A drink based on lemongrass has an excellent tonic and refreshing effect, so it will be very useful on hot days. To do this, you need to brew tea according to any of the above recipes, then cool or add ice before drinking.

Mint or lemon balm also goes well with lemongrass. The aroma and spicy taste of the drink become more intense, and the calming properties of plants in this tandem are only enhanced.

Lemongrass tea medicinal purposes Use for no more than 14 days, then a week break should follow. The optimal dosage is no more than 1-2 cups of not too strong tea in the first half of the day.

For brewing, a ready-made dry collection of lemon grass or a tea mixture from Thailand, to which pandanus leaves are added, are suitable. Also, for more convenient use, you can find tea bags, both single-ingredient and with many additives: mint, lemon balm and even strawberries.

Tea, which includes lemongrass, is extremely soothing and is a pleasant addition to complex treatment cold symptoms. In addition, the herb can be used not only to prepare a drink, but also as spices for various dishes.

Lemongrass (lemongrass, Cymbopogon) is a herbaceous cereal plant, lemongrass. There are many species of it, growing in Asia and Africa. The range of uses of the herb is very wide. Africans even grow it to repel Tsetse flies, with which the tropics of the mainland are crowded. But for us the plant is of particular value. Its health benefits are very great. How else can you get this benefit if you don’t brew a delicious aromatic tea from lemongrass?

Lemongrass: beneficial properties and composition

Let's start with the composition. Sorghum is a source of vitamins (contains a lot of group B and C + beta-carotene), minerals, macro- and microelements. A large number of it also contains acids, among which nicotinic acid stands out. But 80% comes from citral and geraniol - the sources of the awesome aroma of the herb. But, probably, many mothers are familiar with the medicine with citral, which sometimes neurologists or pediatricians prescribe to small children as depressant. So, the main property of a drink like lemongrass tea is to calm, and not only for children.

So, the medicinal properties:

A drink based on the stems of the plant is a sedative and antidepressant. The stress and fatigue that accompany a person in life succumb to its beneficial influence and disappear. Tea protects the nervous system from adverse effects without any chemical additives.
Lemongrass infusion helps strengthen the immune system and the body as a whole. It increases durability internal systems. Increases the body's endurance.
Helps with colds. Effectively fights viruses and infections. A good diaphoretic.
Drinking the drink is also useful for digestion: it eliminates pain, gas formation, nausea, and improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Lemongrass is an aphrodisiac. It is useful for those who suffer from low libido.
Lemongrass tea relieves headaches.
Used for poisoning. And by removing toxic substances from the body, along the way it cleanses the kidneys, ureters, and other organs related to this system.
The infusion is used if you want to get rid of extra pounds. Him low calorie content(if not consumed with sweets), it creates a feeling of fullness. Also by their soothing properties it will protect against overeating, which occurs due to nerves.
The decoction is useful during breastfeeding; it stimulates lactation.
They drink it for anemia.
It is advisable to brew this tea and take it with you on a long journey, which involves changing time zones and climate. He will help you cope with this change unnoticed. Sensitivity to weather conditions is also smoothed out if you drink the drink regularly.
Lemongrass tea is useful for people working in hazardous conditions; it neutralizes unpleasant consequences.
Recovery period after serious illnesses It is good to accompany the intake of sorghum infusion.
Plays an important role in cancer prevention.

A drink made from the lemongrass plant, the beneficial properties of which are obvious, unfortunately, also has some restrictions in its use.

Contraindications

It is better to limit or exclude lemongrass tea from the diet:

Also, the drink is not allowed for children under 12 years of age.

How to brew lemongrass

Here are some recipes:

A large spoon of dry herbs, a glass of boiling water. You only need to brew for 5 minutes. After this, for convenience, strain the drink and drink.

Fresh ginger root in the amount of 20 grams, the same amount of dry sorghum + 10 grams. tea (any kind). Pour boiling water over the entire mixture and leave for a little while.

Take a small spoon of green tea and lemongrass and add water (0.5 l) 95 degrees. Wait 15 minutes and consume.

If you add other plants that have a calming effect to lemongrass (for example, you can take mint and/or lemon balm), you can enhance the effect of lemongrass. Then stress attacks will definitely go unnoticed.

In the hot summer, sorghum infusion should be drunk as a refreshing soft drink. You just need to prepare it according to the usual recipe and put it in the refrigerator, and add ice when using it.

You should not overuse tea; you should drink no more than one or two cups a day. Then lemongrass will only bring benefits.

lemon grass- very useful perennial, also known as lemongrass, citronella, lemongrass. The plant came to us from the tropics of Europe and Asia. Citronella reaches almost 1.8 meters in favorable climate, in cold zones its length is 1 meter. The long leaves of lemongrass are quite narrow in shape and sharp (see photo).

Citronella is grown from seeds. All types of plants grow quickly and have similar properties. There are two main types of grass:

West Indian Lemongrass. This type of citronella is grown in Malaysia.
Cochin, or East Indian, grass that is found in Sri Lanka and Thailand.

In many tropical countries, citronella is specially planted near residential buildings, since insects and snakes cannot stand its smell.

Beneficial features

The beneficial properties of lemon grass are due to the presence of a natural antioxidant - vitamin A. The plant is used to cleanse the body of toxins. Citronella was found to contain fatty acid, vitamins B and C, nicotinic acid and a number of microelements. Lemongrass is a natural antidepressant, its smell relieves fatigue, tones, drives away bad thoughts. The smell of lemongrass in the car interior will help the driver concentrate and pay more attention to the road.

The plant has a pleasant lemon aroma and citrus taste. Lemongrass is in particular demand in cosmetology and perfume compositions. Lemongrass essential oil consists mainly of geraniol and central. These substances stimulate skin healing processes, have an anti-inflammatory effect, and are considered effective natural antiseptics.

Lemongrass juice – excellent natural remedy from insect bites. Just rub the skin fresh leaves, and mosquitoes will not bother you for the next few hours. In order to prepare an effective mosquito repellent for future use, just add alcohol to citronella juice.

Lemongrass is effective for treating skin areasaffected by fungus. IN folk recipes it is often used for dermatitis. The herb stimulates lymph flow and blood circulation, which makes it possible to use it for cellulite. For varicose veins, you can use mixtures based on lemongrass: they will strengthen the walls of blood vessels. In sports, lemon grass is used to increase the endurance of the ligamentous and muscular apparatus.

Use in cooking

Lemongrass has been used in cooking for a long time. Many Asian dishes are prepared using citronella, which gives them a subtle zest and subtle notes of almond. It is not customary to use lemongrass leaves in cooking, since only Bottom part The stem has culinary value. As a spice added to soups and stews, citronella pairs wonderfully with... spicy plants, like cilantro.

Thai cuisine has a recipe for a cool tea drink based on lemongrass. The drink is very refreshing and has a lemon scent. How to brew tea? In order to prepare a kind of iced tea, pour boiling water over finely chopped citronella stems and then cool. The drink is served with ice; if desired, you can add a little milk and sugar.

Classic national recipe Thai soup called Tom Yam necessarily includes lemongrass. There are recipes using fresh plants. Lemongrass stems are dipped into a dish while heat treatment and then taken out. Even if the lemongrass stems are left on the plate, no one eats them, as they themselves are very tough. In order to obtain juice from citronella, fresh grass must be mashed and then ground, and then the plant will release all its beneficial substances.

The lemon-ginger taste of the herb will change beyond recognition familiar dishes. The plant can be added to homemade sauces, noodles, and soups. Poultry, seafood, fish and vegetables will take on a new flavor when cooked with a pinch of citronella.

Coconut desserts, sweets with nuts, milk, and a number of soft drinks will be even tastier if combined with lemongrass. A few pinches of the plant can easily replace zest in culinary recipes. Lemongrass is used as a traditional tea drink in Africa.

Lemongrass benefits and treatment

The benefits of lemongrass are manifested in its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties. The plant reduces temperature, helps with colds, fever. How food supplement lemongrass speeds up metabolic processes in the body and activates digestion.

In its homeland, lemongrass is used to treat colds and digestive problems. Lemongrass has long been used to prepare love potions", which cause sexual arousal and are a natural aphrodisiac.

IN Indian medicine the plant is known as a remedy for herpes and skin diseases. Lemongrass is also included in many cleansers for oily skin.

You can buy lemon grass in the form alcohol tincture or essential oil.

Harm of lemon grass and contraindications

Lemongrass is contraindicated in severe hypertension. It is better not to use the plant for people prone to increased excitability. It is not advisable for pregnant women to use citronella.

Lemongrass essential oil itself is not toxic, but can cause irritation on sensitive skin. A burning and tingling sensation may occur within a few minutes after application. Before using essential oil, it is better to do a test for individual tolerance and lack of allergic reactions, for this it will be enough to apply a little oil to the bend of your elbow. Citronella can cause discomfort in the throat, slight hoarseness, which is associated with its effect on vocal cords. In this regard, use essential oil It should not be used by people who are engaged in vocal or lecturing activities.

Lemongrass is not recommended for use as a tonic for more than two weeks.