While lemongrass makes food fragrant and delicious, it also makes the eater healthier. Those are just some of the benefits of lemongrass, according to studies on this medicinal plant with the scientific name Cymbopogon citratus and also known by the English name lemongrass.
From the countries of India and Sri Lanka, where Cymbopogon citratus is a native plant, it is brought and grown in other parts of the world. It is popular in the Southeast Asian region, including the Philippines, because of its various uses.
Lemongrass is traditionally used as a cooking ingredient because of its fragrance and flavor. The white part is usually finely sliced and mixed in the dish because it is softer compared to the green part. But there are cooks who use the whole bunch of lemongrass to brighten the flavor, for example, of fried chicken
Lemongrass, on the other hand, is boiled to make a delicious and nutritious tea. According to traditional medicine, lemongrass tea is drunk as follows:
have trouble sleeping
drying
indigestion
being anxious
headaches and muscles especially if a woman has menstruation
It also helps to lower sugar and cholesterol levels
Lemongrass is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, and folate, as well as minerals potassium, manganese, iron, and calcium. Those vitamins are needed to make the body produce energy and red blood cells. This is especially important for pregnant women, infants, and adolescents.
Iron also helps in red blood cell production, while its other minerals play their respective roles. Potassium is involved in maintaining normal blood pressure, and manganese in brain and nerve function. Magnesium and calcium work together to strengthen bones and muscles.
Apart from the benefits of lemongrass as food and drink, its juice is used as an essential oil that repels mosquitoes and cures diseases. According to an article published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website, lemongrass has a scientific basis for the ability to cure certain diseases.
Lemongrass is known to be rich in phytoconstituents, such as flavonoids and phenolic compounds, which may have anti-amoebic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, or antioxidant properties. It is said that it is better to conduct further studies to make full use of lemongrass in its wider capacity.
The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center agrees with this article on their website. Lemongrass is said to be anti-cancer because of the animal lab tests that have been performed. But you have not yet involved human cancer patients.
Although animal lab tests have shown that there are compounds in lemongrass that prevent the growth of tumors or even destroy cancer cells, it can not be said that this will also happen to people with cancer. It was also found that there were birth defects in rats that underwent lab tests due to citral and myrcene compounds of lemongrass, so it is said that it is better for pregnant women to avoid it first.
Lemongrass essential oil is available with the help of a vaporizer to fight bacteria, flu, and cold. It can also be applied to the skin to relieve the heat caused by summer and improve mood.
It is also used as a perfume in soaps, deodorants, and cosmetics. It is also said to be good for smoothing the skin because it has natural astringent properties, and hair growth while preventing the growth of dandruff.
Lemongrass has many benefits, and like everything else, even if it is good, you should not be too careful about consuming it as a food, drink, or essential oil.
Nice article