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What is Lemongrass Tea?
Lemongrass tea is an herbal beverage made by infusing a packet of dried lemongrass in a cup or pot of hot water. The drink can be served hot, shortly after the packet of herbs as finished steeping, or cold. To serve the tea cold, it can be left to chill in a refrigerator or poured over a generous amount of ice. The resulting beverage, cold or hot, is both very refreshing and zesty.
The herb lemongrass is most commonly used in cooking, particularly in savory dishes. It is most common in cuisines from Southeast Asia and is considered to be one of the most important and distinctive flavors in Thai cooking. Lemongrass tea has a flavor very true to the flavor of the herb itself. As the name suggests, the tea tastes of lemon, but also includes hints of ginger as well. As the flavor of lemongrass pairs well with ginger, sometimes lemongrass tea includes ginger or the two herbs are blended together in an herbal tea with other milder ingredients.
In addition to being blended with ginger root, lemongrass is often blended with mint or chamomile. These two herbs complement the flavors of lemongrass quite well and are also a bit milder. As such, they help to round out the flavor profile of the tea. These sorts of blends are often enjoyed by people who like the flavor of lemongrass, but prefer to have it's zesty flavor smoothed out by milder flavors.
Herbalists believe that lemongrass tea has a number of benefits for those who drink it. One of the benefits of the tea is that it is supposed to help to lift the spirits and may improve the mood and sense of well-being. It is also believed that lemongrass tea can help to cure indigestion. This is especially true of blends of the tea that are made with ginger as ginger is excellent at curing indigestion. Of course, those experiencing serious depression or digestive issues should seek out medical help.
Another benefit of lemongrass tea is that it is naturally caffeine free. Unlike teas that are decaffeinated, which means that they still contain a small amount of caffeine, lemongrass tea has no caffeine at all. This means that it can be enjoyed at all times of the day and night. It can be especially enjoyable after dinner, especially for those who are prone to bouts of indigestion in the evenings.
Discussion Comments
@ysmina-- I haven't heard of any side effects and I haven't experienced any myself either. However I do know that lemongrass is diuretic, meaning it increases urine output. So you might need to drink some more water if you have lots of lemongrass tea. It might also increase the effect of diuretic medications.
Lemongrass herbal tea is so beneficial though. It has antioxidant effects and can help aid weight loss. It's also rich in vitamins and minerals. It has calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium. Some researchers say that it also has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
@ysmina-- I think fresh lemongrass is better. It's more fragrant when it's fresh. I just take about three stalks, cut them up into smaller pieces, put it in a teapot and add boiled water and steep. I almost always add fresh mint or mint tea in it, because mint is also good for digestion. It also gives a nice fresh breath.
I usually have this after dinner, or later at night if I feel restless or if I'm unable to sleep. It does wonders for migraines. It has a sort of aromatherapy effect on me. I find it very soothing.
I actually have this tea without any sugar. I feel like sugar energizes me too much and I drink lemongrass to relax and feel sleepy, not to get worked up.
I had two cups of lemongrass tea after dinner at a Thai restaurant recently. I had never heard of it before but the restaurant owner recommended, in fact, insisted that my husband and I try it. We loved it!
It was so refreshing, soothing and warming. I had eaten a lot, and my stomach did not feel bloated or upset that night at all. I also liked the slightly lemony, slightly gingery and peppery taste of it. I had it very sweet, so it kind of served as my dessert as well.
I want to buy and make lemongrass tea at home now. I have two questions. Do you think dry lemongrass is better for tea or fresh lemongrass?
And does lemongrass tea have any side effects or contradictions with medicines? Is there a limit to how many cups one should have in a day?
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