About Lemongrass

As the name implies, lemongrass has a tart, lemony flavour that not only makes a delicious tea but can also be used as a herb to add flavour to savoury and sweet dishes. While you can enjoy lemongrass for its flavour, it’s also used for medicinal purposes. In addition to digestion and sleep, lemongrass is also said to help calm nerves and may have anti-inflammatory properties. There’s some evidence that lemongrass may kill cancer cells as well, but this potential benefit has only been studied in test-tube experiments.

Lemongrass Tea and Weight Loss

When drinking it as a tea, lemongrass contributes very few calories to your overall intake. One tablespoon of lemongrass has 5 calories and 1 gram of carbohydrate. Drinking a cup of plain lemongrass tea before a meal may help you lose weight by filling you up so you eat less. Also, sipping on a cup of lemongrass tea during the day may help prevent you from eating out of boredom.

 

Adding Flavor Without Calories

Lemongrass enhances the flavour of food without adding too many calories and may help you reduce the amount of fat and sugar you use, saving you calories. Lightly pound the stalks of the herb to release the flavour and add it to the cavity of whole fish or chicken before roasting or grilling. You can also chop the leaves and add it to a salad or to your veggies while they steam. It adds flavour to stir-fries and soups too.

 

Lemongrass Concerns

Some people have reported dizziness and drowsiness after consuming lemongrass. There are also concerns that it might increase your appetite and that drinking too much may damage the liver or lining of the stomach, according to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In addition, you should not drink lemongrass tea if you’re pregnant. According to the cancer centre, high doses of lemongrass have caused birth defects in rats.