Benefits of Lemongrass & Lemongrass Tea/Oil for Health & Beauty

Lemongrass, also called fever grass, is a perennial plant with thin, long leaves that is indigenous to many Asian countries. As the name implies, lemongrass smells like lemon, but it tastes milder and sweeter. This herb is used in various Asian cuisines as a flavoring agent due to its potent flavor.

Nutritionally, lemongrass is a good source of vitamins A and C, folate, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and manganese. It also has minute traces of B vitamins.

Along with its culinary uses, lemongrass is useful in alternative or complementary remedies for a wide range of ailments.

It has many beneficial medicinal properties including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antipyretic, antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, astringent, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, galactogogue, insecticidal, sedative, and anti-cancer properties. The leaves, stems and bulb of lemongrass are used in various treatments.

Analgesic :-

Things that are considered an analgesic reduce pain and inflammation. Lemongrass Essential Oil helps relieve pain in muscles and joints, as well as toothaches and headaches resulting from viral infections like cough, cold, influenza, fever, and various poxes. It also helps cure general body pain resulting from strenuous activities and athletics.

Antidepressant :-

Lemongrass Oil boosts self esteem, confidence, hope and mental strength, and it uplifts spirits and fights depression. This can be very helpful to drive away depression due to failures in their career, personal life, insecurity, loneliness, stagnation, death in the family and many other reasons. This also relieves anxiety. As an antidepressant, lemongrass can be systematically administered to patients of acute depression who are undergoing rehabilitation after acute shock. Basically, take it with your tea and relax.

Antimicrobial and Antibacterial :-

Lemongrass has antimicrobial properties which makes it an inhibitor of microbial and bacterial growth in the body, both internally and externally. It is also known to be effective in inhibiting bacterial infections in the colon, stomach, urinary tracts, wounds, respiratory system, and other organ systems. while also helping to cure diseases resulting from bacterial or microbial infections such as typhoid, food poisoning, skin diseases, body odor, and malaria (caused due to protozoon).

Anti-pyretic :-

An anti-pyretic is an agent that brings down very high fevers. This is quite similar to a febrifuge but it is effective on very high fevers as well. This oil can bring down a fever when it is beginning to reach dangerous levels. This property of Lemongrass, which comes from its essential oils, is widely known and utilized. It is often served in tea for this very purpose.

Astringent :-

An astringent helps the stoppage of blood flow by contraction of the blood vessels. If someone is bleeding profusely, you need to utilize an astringent to speed up clotting of the blood and stop the flow to save his or her life. The fact that lemongrass is an astringent helps in a different way too. It promotes contraction of gums, hair follicles, muscles, skin and blood vessels, thereby preventing loosening and falling out of teeth, hair loss and it reduces the flow of blood through the vessels. Some of these properties can be life-saving, so lemongrass is an essential source of astringent.

Deodorant :-

Lemongrass Oil is far better than many of the synthetic deodorants that are a big expense, a heavy impact on the environment, and have limited lasting power. Also, those types of deodorant can sometimes produce irritation on the skin and can exacerbate certain allergies. Lemongrass oil can be a far better choice as a deodorant because it does not do any of these things. In a diluted form, it serves as an efficient deodorant without any side effects. The best thing about this is that it is herbal, so there is no damage to your body or the environment.

Diuretic :-

Lemongrass Oil increases urination, both in frequency and in quantity. This may sound not that important but it can be very beneficial for health. When a person urinates, fats are lost from the body, because 4% of the volume of urine is composed of fats. Obviously, the more you urinate, the more you lose fat. Urination also promotes digestion and inhibits the formation of excess gas. It removes excess water from the body and reduces swelling. Its most important contribution is that it removes toxins from the body, not to mention its ability to reduce blood pressure. That is the reason that most pharmaceutical medications for lowering blood pressure induce frequent urination. Urination also helps clean out the kidneys.

Galactogogue :-

Galactogogue is a substance or an agent that increases the formation of milk in the breasts. It also enhances the quality of that same milk. This property is very helpful for lactating mothers and the babies who need that vital source of food. Lemongrass oil is a Galactogogue. Apart from increasing milk production, it also helps babies in another way. Babies are prone to infections, so the antimicrobial and antibacterial properties of Lemongrass oil are also absorbed in the milk and thus indirectly help the baby avoid such infections.

Insecticidal :-

Lemongrass is quite popular as an insect repellant due to its insecticidal properties. It kills insects and also keeps them away, but there isn’t enough research to know exactly which insects it affects, so there is no promise on cockroaches!

Nervine :-

Lemongrass Essential Oil acts as a tonic for the nerves and the nervous system in general. It helps cure many nervous disorders such as shaking hands or limbs, nervousness, vertigo, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and convulsions, sluggishness, and lack of reflexes. It strengthens the nerves throughout the body and stimulates them.

Edative :-

Being a sedative is perhaps one of the most important and most appreciated medicinal properties of Lemongrass Oil. It has a great soothing, sedating and calming effects on mind, cures inflammations, itching of skin and it relieves tension and anxiety. This feature can help patients of insomnia as well.

Helps Digestion :-

Lemongrass promotes healthy digestion. It has antiseptic compounds that effectively kill bad bacteria and parasites in the digestive tract and repopulate the good bacteria in the colon.

This in turn helps treat digestive health problems like indigestion, constipation, heartburn, diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, stomach spasms, vomiting and cramps. Plus, lemongrass has antimicrobial properties that help relieve gastroenteritis. For a healthy digestive tract, drink lemongrass tea on regular basis. Lemongrass tea, however, is not recommended for small children.

Controls Cholesterol Levels :-

The anti-cholesterol and anti-atherosclerosis action of lemongrass helps reduce the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine. Plus, it helps in the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol in the blood, which in turn helps prevent atherosclerotic plaque buildup.

A University of Wisconsin study in 1989 found that people with high cholesterol who took 140-milligram capsules of lemongrass oil daily noticed reduction in cholesterol levels. They also experienced a significant decrease in blood fats. The high potassium content in lemongrass also helps lower and regulate blood pressure. Simply drink a cup of lemongrass tea everyday to help lower your cholesterol level and reduce blood pressure. You can also take this herb in supplement form after consulting your doctor.

Cleanses and Detoxifies :-

Regular consumption of lemongrass tea helps cleanse and detoxify the body. The diuretic nature of lemongrass helps remove toxins, uric acid and bad cholesterol from the body by increasing the frequency and quantity of urination. Urination also helps clean out the kidneys. Plus, the cleansing properties of this herbal tea help purify the liver, kidneys, bladder and pancreas. It also plays a key role in increasing blood circulation, which is important for overall health. Drink lemongrass tea on a regular basis to help your body get rid of harmful elements.

Heals Colds and Flu :-

Lemongrass has antibacterial and antifungal properties that help your body cope with coughs, fever and other cold and flu symptoms. Plus, it is loaded with vitamin C that boosts your immune system to fight the infection.
You can use lemongrass oil to relieve pain in muscles and joints, as well as headaches resulting from a cold or the flu. Plus, lemongrass can be effective in breaking down mucus and phlegm buildup, which can alleviate problems with breathing. This is mainly beneficial when suffering from bronchitis or asthma.

You can make the following medicinal drink with lemongrass.

• Boil a few fresh strands of lemongrass, two or three cloves, a small piece of cinnamon stick, one teaspoon of turmeric powder in one cup of milk.
• Strain and drink it when it cools down.
• Drink this once a day for a few days.

Fights Cancer :-

Research at Ben Gurion University in Israel has shown that lemongrass tea can help fight cancer. A component called citral found in lemongrass causes apoptosis in cancer cells without damaging healthy cells. Simply put, it causes the cancer cells to commit suicide. In fact, to help the healing process, cancer patients in Israel are encouraged to take fresh lemongrass tea while undergoing radiation or chemotherapy treatments. Another study published in 2009 in the journal Fundamentals of Clinical Pharmacology found that citral in lemongrass slows the growth of breast cancer cells in the laboratory. Plus, there are several antioxidant properties in lemongrass that help lower your risk of cancer by fighting free radicals.

Fights Depression :-

The antidepressant properties of lemongrass help treat depression. The herb also activates the release of serotonin, a chemical in the brain that combats depression. Lemongrass relieves anxiety, boosts self esteem, uplifts spirits, gives confidence and improves mental strength. Lemongrass also contains citronella, which is well known for its calming effect on the mind and body. It also helps you to sleep better. Drink a cup of lemongrass tea, whenever you feel depressed or have a low mood. The tea will help you keep calm and cool.