Ingredients · Herb

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus · Poaceae (grass family)

Lemongrass
A tropical grass with bright citrus flavor that hides genuine pharmacological activity. Citral — lemongrass's primary compound — relaxes smooth muscle through calcium channel antagonism, addressing the spastic component of digestive discomfort. The surprise: the tea's real bioactives are water-soluble polyphenols (caffeic acid at 20.81 mg/100 mL), not the volatile essential oil. Steep covered to keep what citral you can.

What it’s like, and how to use it

The partHerb
KindHerb
CaffeineCaffeine-free
Where it is fromIndia
TasteBright, lemony, clean, slightly grassy, refreshing
How to brew it
  • 212°F / 100°C
  • Steep 5–10 minutes COVERED (citral evaporates in open air)
  • Use 1–2 tsp per 8oz
  • Crush dried leaves before steeping

How to use it

Fresh: essential for Thai curry paste, tom yum, tom kha gai. Dried: steep as tea — crush dried stalks between fingers first to release oils. Infuse into coconut milk for soups and curries. Lemongrass syrup for cocktails. Vietnamese lemongrass chicken. Indonesian rendang. Sri Lankan curry. Simmer in rice cooking water for fragrant rice.

With food

Coconut milk (Southeast Asian foundation). Lime (tom yum trio). Ginger (shared citral compounds, classic pairing). Chili (Thai heat-citrus contrast). Chicken and seafood (light proteins). Mango and tropical fruits. Rice and noodles. Avoid: heavy red meats and strong cheeses.

With spices

Ginger (the classic Southeast Asian pairing — the two most common aromatics in a Thai pot). Cardamom (1,8-cineole meeting citral). Black pepper (Thai cooking logic). Star anise (anethole and citral, two big aromatics together). Cinnamon (cinnamaldehyde and citral — warm against bright).

With tea

Ginger Root (the classic warming-citrus combination). Darjeeling (shares geraniol — the molecular bridge that makes this pairing work). Earl Grey (complementary citrus through different molecules). Peppermint (citrus-cool refreshing combination). Any green tea (traditional Asian pairing).

Its story

Where it comes from

Native to South and Southeast Asia. Major production in India, Guatemala, China, and Sri Lanka. Two main species: C. citratus (West Indian — culinary standard) and C. flexuosus (East Indian — higher citral for essential oil production). Fresh stalks are the culinary form; dried leaves are the tea form. Thrives in tropical and subtropical climates.

What happened

Called 'fever grass' across West Africa and the Caribbean for its traditional use in managing fevers. In Brazil, capim-limao is one of the most widely consumed folk remedies for anxiety and digestive complaints. Ayurvedic medicine classifies it as bitter/pungent rasa that stimulates Agni (digestive fire). Thai cuisine is built on lemongrass — tom yum and tom kha gai wouldn't exist without it.

Good for

What the research looked at

Supports comfortable digestion and eases occasional bloating through smooth muscle relaxation
Mild anti-inflammatory support from the polyphenol fraction
Gently calming without drowsiness — GABAergic mechanism confirmed in animal studies
Refreshing citrus flavor that's naturally caffeine-free
Traditionally used across Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean as a digestive and fever tea

What’s in the leaf

Citral (geranial + neral — 65–85% of essential oil; calcium channel antagonist for smooth muscle relaxation; but highly volatile with massive evaporative loss in open steeping). Caffeic acid (dominant water-soluble phenolic at 20.81 mg/100 mL — the primary bioactive in tea). Myrcene (earthy, GABAergic sedation in animal models). Geraniol (rose-like, shared with Darjeeling).

These teas are foods, sold as such. Nothing on this page is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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Sold on its own, and in these blends.

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