Lemongrass belongs to the sweet grass family. It has a strong, aromatic fragrance and is used as both a spice and a medicinal plant. Lemongrass has been known in Asia since time immemorial, but did not catch on in the rest of the world until the late 19th century.
Occurrence and cultivation of lemongrass
itronengras is an evergreen herbaceous plant whose long, narrow leaves contain the popular aromatic compounds. There are 55 species of lemongrass. It originally came from India, but was then cultivated in Vietnam, China, Thailand and Sri Lanka. Today, lemongrass is only known as a cultivated plant, and there is no definition for wild growing or original lemongrass. Lemongrass is an evergreen herbaceous plant whose long, narrow leaves contain the popular aromatic compounds. Two varieties in particular are of great importance for commercial cultivation. Today, outside of Asia, they are also cultivated in Africa, the USA, South and Central America, and even in Europe. Thanks to colonial times, it came to England via India in the 19th century. It only really became known in the rest of Europe when travel to Asia became more common. In climatically favorable areas, where temperatures never fall below 18 degrees and never rise above 29 degrees, lemongrass can be harvested four times a year. After initial planting, the grass is productive for eight years. East Indian lemongrass is different from grasses used for cooking. East Indian lemongrass is used exclusively as a medicinal plant and to produce fragrances for perfumes and soaps.
Effect and application
Lemongrass contains a long series of oils, aromatic substances, vitamins and other active ingredients. The strong lemony scent is caused by the essential oil citral. Other important substances are linalool, limonene, ethylene oxide, farnesal and citronellal. It also contains sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and large amounts of all the important vitamins, including vitamin A and vitamin E. In most of Asia, it is not only used as a spice, but also prepared into a tea that is considered particularly thirst-quenching. There is pure lemongrass tea and blends that contain lemongrass. The grass is especially liked to be mixed with rose petals, as this creates a very elegant aroma. For the teas, the wooden parts of the grasses are beaten soft and boiling water is poured over them. The same process is used when lemongrass is used as a spice in cooking. For spice cooking, the green parts of the leaves are also cut into pieces and dried. The lemongrass is then sold as small, dried pieces or also as finely ground powder. Oil can also be extracted from lemongrass, which is used as a fragrance in cosmetics production. Many perfumes, soaps, bath additives and care products contain the refreshing scents of lemongrass oil. The essential oil citral can be filtered out of the oil in its purest form, small amounts are then already sufficient as a fragrance addition. Citral is also used to add a fresh lemon flavor to beverages. Lemongrass is available fresh on the market for cooking and teas, but also in dried form as a spice. There are lemongrass pastes for marinades and Thai seasoning sauces that contain lemongrass. Dried lemongrass is also an important ingredient in ready-made tea blends. Because lemongrass oils are easier to distill and use than lemons, many lemon products such as sodas, flavored salad oils, jams, and candies contain lemongrass rather than lemons. However, beverages and candies are also sold that specifically state that lemons were not used, but rather the much more exotic lemongrass.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
In Asia, and especially in India and Thailand, the healing properties of lemongrass have been known for over a millennium, where it is used specifically against parasites in the stomach and intestines and flatulence. In addition to citral, the substance mycrene is of particular importance. In the meantime, the rest of the world is also benefiting from this positive side of this flavor-intensive grass. In India, lemongrass is also called fever grass, which alone shows that it is said to have a fever-reducing effect.When lemongrass is used as a medicinal plant, the hard stems at the bottom of the grass are the most important. They contain the most nutrients, even though the green grasses at the top are more intensely fragrant. Thanks to its vitamin richness, it is also an excellent remedy to prevent or even treat immune deficiency. Lemongrass teas help against fever, lemongrass candies against sore throat. Lemongrass has a particularly intense effect when combined with ginger. Then it also has a healing effect on stomach pain and severe nausea. Lemongrass teas help against flatulence, as well as against any kind of cold and minor infections in the mouth and throat. Lemongrass pastes is a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine, but applied it also helps against acute rheumatic pain. Lemongrass baths also help against rheumatic pain and mild skin inflammation. In addition, the essential oils of lemongrass help to relax and promote deeper sleep. Lemongrass is often combined with other ingredients such as olive oil for bath additives. Then, a medicinal lemongrass bath also helps to soften the skin. The strong natural scent of lemongrass is the plant’s own protection against predatory insects. For this reason, citral is also successfully used as an insect repellent in special lemongrass products.
