Exploring the Medicinal Properties of Lemongrass Tea

Tea is perhaps one of the most versatile beverages known to humanity and has a storied history in various cultures. Some people assume that tea is a single beverage with little variety beyond the temperature at which it is served. That said, a large variety of plants generate different types of tea with significantly different flavor profiles and properties. The different types of tea have helped create an entire subculture, primarily focused on preferred preparations and ceremonies for steeping tea. 

Most tea drinkers have a favorite type that suits their preferences and palates, whereas others drink specific teas to augment aspects of their health. Drinking tea has been linked to improved health, and some varieties have medicinal properties that can be used to treat illnesses and injuries outright.

The biggest challenge of using tea for anything other than a charming beverage is learning how each variety affects our health. One type of tea that has been gaining renewed attention is lemongrass tea, which is not necessarily a favorite for tea enthusiasts. Lemongrass tea is readily available in virtually every tea shop or market, but most view it as "just another tea." 

As a result, those who need them most often overlook the benefits of drinking lemongrass tea. Lemongrass tea is among the varieties that possess medicinal benefits that saw it being used by early cultures. The question is: What benefits does lemongrass tea offer for our health?

What is Lemongrass Tea?

The world of plants is one of the most expansive since there are billions of different plants, trees, and flowers with unique characteristics. One such example of a unique plant is Cymbopogon, known colloquially as lemongrass. Lemongrass is one of the more mundane members of the plant kingdom but has become fairly popular in modern society. 

Lemongrass is closely related to the grass that adorns front lawns or is commonly found in any biome where plant life is prevalent. The genus Cymbopogon is native to Asia, Africa, and Australia (along with certain tropical islands). Despite the remote locations where members of the Cymbopogon family are common, lemongrass has since spread to almost the entire world because it has a longstanding reputation in holistic medicine. The main member of the genus to be cultivated is C. citratus, which began because the plant bears a similar scent to standard lemons (hence the name).

C. citratus is the most commonly cultivated member of the Cymbopogon genus and is renowned for its history in holistic medicine. Additionally, C. citratus is used in several culinary settings due to its citric flavor. Considering its connection to common grass, these benefits are somewhat unusual, but they have helped lemongrass remain a staple in holistic medicine and healthy cuisine for centuries. 

While lemongrass has several uses in cuisine and health, one of the most common applications in modern society is refining it into tea. Like most plants, lemongrass can be steeped in hot water to transfer the flavor and nutrients into hot water to create tea. While lemongrass can be refined into tea, there are questions surrounding what makes using lemongrass so important that it warrants being made into tea. Fortunately, the answer is a little clearer than you might think.

Lemongrass Has Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects

One of the main concerns in modern society is preventing oxidative damage to the body caused by free radicals. Free radicals are molecular species that are often overlooked but can cause serious damage if they enter the body. Most of the time, oxidative damage affects our cells and can trigger inflammation if it becomes too severe. Fortunately, special compounds called antioxidants protect the body from these free radicals and reduce the damage they cause. 

Additionally, antioxidants are usually anti-inflammatory since inflammation and oxidative damage are closely related. Lemongrass is one of these antioxidants and can protect you from injuries associated with oxidative damage. Lemongrass' antioxidant properties were confirmed in a study that went on to be published by the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.

By consuming lemongrass products, your body is reinforced against free radicals, and they are less likely to damage tissue cells. Furthermore, a study by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center identified concentrations of citral and geranial in lemongrass. These compounds might not sound like much to the average consumer, but they play a significant role in holistic care. 

Both citral and geranial are directly connected to anti-inflammatory effects and are thought to inhibit the release of inflammatory markers in the body. Therefore, lemongrass tea can be used to prevent oxidative damage and reduce existing inflammation. The best part is that lemongrass' ability to protect against these issues is only one of its benefits, and it possesses other abilities that make it more valuable.

Lemongrass Can Lower Cholesterol Levels

One of the leading health issues in America is the rise of cholesterol, which triggers cardiovascular health issues. Specifically, excessive high-density lipoproteins (HDL) can cause heart disease that leads to death. Typically, we need to maintain a balanced diet to avoid overloading with high-cholesterol foods that could compromise our health. 

Unfortunately, not everyone can reduce their HDL levels solely through dietary changes and might need an extra boost. Lowering cholesterol can be one of the most difficult things you can do, especially since the most common foods come from fast food chains rather than home-cooked meals. This unfortunate shift in our diets is because unhealthy food has become significantly more affordable than healthier alternatives. 

As a result, our cholesterol can get away from us, and we might need extra help to bring it back down. Fortunately, lemongrass might have the power to bring our cholesterol back down.

A study by the Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research discovered that lemongrass appears to lower cholesterol in animals. The reduction of HDL in the subjects indicated that lemongrass could be used to supplement your dietary change and enhance your body's ability to purge cholesterol. That said, the study noted that the benefits of lemongrass on cholesterol were tied to the dosage, with higher doses having a more profound effect. 

However, it is never a good idea to overconsume any substance, even those that are good for you. If you plan on using lemongrass tea to treat your cholesterol, you should ensure you do not drink too much. Nevertheless, lemongrass tea can help you keep your cholesterol in check and prevent long-term health complications.

Lemongrass is Antimicrobial

The most common health issues are illnesses and infections caused by microbial organisms present worldwide. Some microbes are fairly harmless, whereas others cause severe infections that require medical attention. For example, strep throat is a painful and unpleasant condition caused by a bacterial infection in the throat. 

Oral infections are particularly frustrating since our mouths are one of our most commonly used body parts. The issue is that these infections can sneak up on us before we can secure a doctor's appointment or when we cannot afford to get sick. The best way to protect against these infections is to preemptively reinforce our bodies against microbial organisms. 

Some compounds are known to produce natural protection against microbial organisms by actively killing them or making the body inhospitable for them to survive. Lemongrass is one of these compounds and can potentially protect you from serious infections.

In 2012, the National Institutes of Health studied lemongrass oil to see if it could treat certain bacterial infections. Specifically, the study focused on Streptococcus mutans, a bacterium infamous for causing tooth decay. The study determined that lemongrass could counteract S. mutans' colonization in the body and prevent infection. 

Furthermore, additional research discovered that lemongrass synergizes with silver ions to fight off multiple bacteria and fungi. This confirms that lemongrass can be used to treat microbial colonization of all kinds, making lemongrass tea an excellent treatment tool. The key factor is that lemongrass cannot replace antibiotics or other medications if you have a severe case. Insofar as minor or early infections are concerned, lemongrass can slow the infection and give your body the time it needs to heal.

Lemongrass Promotes Digestion

While not necessarily a major health issue, indigestion and other gastrointestinal disturbances can be extremely unpleasant and detrimental to our health. The most common form of distress is nausea, which can occur whenever we eat a specific food or contract one of several illnesses. Nausea remains one of the most common symptoms in the medical world and is extremely unpleasant since it inhibits our appetites and usually induces vomiting. 

The only advantage of nausea being one of the most common symptoms is that it has been studied extensively, and several products are designed to counteract it. Most nausea medications are effective, but not everyone is eager to swallow a pill or tablet. Fortunately, several natural alternatives can settle the stomach and reduce nausea enough to at least stomach some toast. 

Ginger is the most common choice, but it might surprise you that lemongrass is an excellent alternative. Considering most doctors will advise you to avoid citrus when you are nauseous, misgivings about lemongrass are understandable. However, research has uncovered benefits associated with lemongrass that counteract nausea.

The National Institutes of Health conducted a study in 2012 that used rodents as the test subjects. The NIH's study was based on the fact that many people used lemongrass tea as a holistic tool to treat nausea, cramps, and digestive issues. The study discovered that lemongrass' abilities exceeded those functions and reduced the prevalence of gastric ulcers. This study determined that consuming lemongrass might help protect the body from major gastrointestinal health concerns. 

According to the study, lemongrass oil protects the stomach lining from damage caused by aspirin and ethanol (both of which are commonly consumed). In fact, excessive aspirin use has been tied to gastric ulcers directly, and lemongrass appears to be able to protect the stomach from those consequences. Once again, a physician must assess major cases, but lemongrass tea can be an excellent tool for treating nausea and reducing the risk of gastrointestinal damage.

Lemongrass Might Relieve PMS

Premenstrual syndrome is deeply unpleasant and exclusive to biological women since it only occurs between ovulation and period. It causes cramps, bloating, hot flashes, and other unpleasant symptoms that can make life difficult. There have been multiple attempts to try and eliminate the main symptoms of PMS, but very few actually work, and hormonal changes can make the common options unsustainable.

Fortunately, lemongrass offers a natural alternative by combining the previous abilities to alleviate the main symptoms. Lemongrass' ability to reduce nausea and inflammation can treat aspects of PMS without requiring a pharmaceutical-grade tool. Additionally, studies have assessed lemongrass oil's ability to treat the hot flashes most women experience. 

One study published in the Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research showed lemongrass can cool the body. This effect means women can use lemongrass to reduce the severity of their hot flashes (among other symptoms) and keep the effects of PMS low.

Finding the Right Blend

Lemongrass tea is a remarkably common choice since its natural citric flavor reduces the bite of tea's natural bitterness. Despite this, many tea drinkers are unaware of lemongrass tea's ability to improve their health and treat ailments. While many use lemongrass tea as a home remedy for nausea, the full extent of its abilities remains a mystery to most. 

Nevertheless, it is not too late to take advantage of what lemongrass offers and use it to enhance your health. The trick is finding a tea blend that contains lemongrass and can be used to accomplish the desired goal.

We at Teami love tea and have made it one of the main focuses of our catalog. We offer various blends designed to maximize various tea plants' nutritional and health benefits. One of our main blends is our Alive Tea Blend, which energizes the body and uses lemongrass as one of the key ingredients. We encourage you to visit our website and peruse our blends directly. After all, finding the right blend is a Teami effort.