The best Detox teas or detox plans with herbal infusions always include Lemongrass among their ingredients.
What benefits does this herb have in the detoxification process?
Lemongrass detox benefits
What we know as Lemongrass is a grass that is also used to decorate gardens and is known as lemongrass, lemongrass or citronella grass. In Paraguay it is the obligatory additive to tereré, in Asia it is part of the curry that is used in many recipes and the citronella that is used to flavor environments or repel insects is also obtained from the same grass. The leaves, when broken, give off the characteristic aroma of lemon. Its most important active principles are the alcohols called geraniol and citronellol .
There are many varieties of lemongrass, each used for different industries. The variety used in tea is called Cymbopogom citratus.
As it is native to Asia, this plant has been used there for centuries to treat various ailments. Lemongrass tea has a very light lemon flavor, but without the acid notes. It is somewhat sweeter than lemon and leaves a more pleasant taste on the palate. Lemongrass leaf tea is light yellow in color.
As a staple of Chinese and Thai medicine, and currently in recognized use in Western medicine, lemongrass mainly has these benefits:
1- It is digestive
Lemongrass relieves symptoms of gastric upset, such as nausea and stomach pain.
According to a study, lemongrass has protective effects against gastric ulcers and stomach problems caused by aspirin and alcohol, especially nausea and heartburn. This protective effect on the stomach lining is one of the reasons why we include it in our Detox tea formula.
2- Helps to lose weight
Lemongrass tea is useful to accompany diets to lose weight because it speeds up metabolism and because it can perfectly replace the use of sugary drinks. Medical research on lemongrass tea is still ongoing and has had mixed results. However, by replacing sugary drinks such as soft drinks, juices, sodas, and soft drinks, it reduces calories in the diet and achieves the goal of losing weight in less time.
3- It is full of antioxidants
One of the main reasons to drink a detox tea is to eliminate the toxins produced by the body itself. Among them, the metabolites called free radicals that are the ones that produce cell aging.
The antioxidants contained in detox tea (and in other teas) are responsible for protecting the cell membrane (and therefore tissue and organs) from this harmful action. Lemongrass has the advantage that its natural diuretic action neutralizes and eliminates these free radicals in the urine.
The lemongrass inhibits the growth of tumor cells. These experiments have been carried out in laboratory animals with very good results, but more studies are still needed to confirm this effect in humans. Precisely this anti-tumor effect would be due to its antioxidant action, mainly through geraniol, flavonoids, quercetins and citric acids present in its leaves.
4- Lower blood pressure
A study concluded that lemongrass tea lowers blood pressure in humans. There are two known mechanisms by which it achieves this effect:
– Because it is relaxing, which is useful when blood pressure is caused by stress
– Because it is a diuretic, eliminating excess sodium in the urine when a diet with too much salt is what causes arterial hypertension.
The same study concluded that lemongrass also lowers heart rate, a positive effect in protecting the heart from excessive wear and tear.
5- Protects the health of the heart
Heart disease is the number one enemy of health in the West. Lemongrass has a protective effect on the entire cardiovascular system and helps prevent serious diseases such as heart attacks and blood clots. The protective action of lemongrass is that it acts as an anti-inflammatory for veins and arteries, allowing blood to reach and leave the heart more easily.
A study on the effects of lemongrass on important blood values in mice. They proved that there was a significant drop in bad cholesterol ( LDL cholesterol) when they were given lemongrass oil. This is a very important effect to ensure heart health and prevent embolism or atherosclerosis.
6- Relieves colds and flu
The effect of lemon derivatives in flu states, colds or sore throats is popularly well known. We have all had a lemon tea to relieve these symptoms. Lemongrass is a common component of cough and throat drops. It is due to the fact that geraniol reduces inflammation of the respiratory mucous membranes and opens these pathways for better ventilation.
7- It is a mouth disinfectant
As indicated by its use in repellents and disinfectant soaps, lemongrass is an excellent antiseptic. This is very useful not only in the detox effect by restoring the intestinal flora but also as a mouth disinfectant, essential for the prevention of cavities.
When unsweetened lemongrass tea is used, the anti-cavity effect is twofold.