7 Health Benefits of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon)

December 3, 2023February 22, 2024 Agric4Profits

Lemongrass which belongs to the Poaceae family of grass, is scientifically known as Cymbopogon. It develops in tense bunches that can reach heights of six feet and a width of four feet.

It is indigenous to hot, tropical places including India, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. It is a frequent ingredient in Asian cooking and is used as a medicine in India. It is widely used to make tea in nations in Africa and South America.

The leaves or grasses of the lemongrass plant, most frequently Cymbopogon Flexuosus or Cymbopogon Citratus, are used to make lemongrass oil. The oil smells faintly of lemon with overtones of soil. It is energizing.

Lemongrass includes luteolin, glycosides, quercetin, kaempferol, elemicin, catechol, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid, among other antioxidants, flavonoids, and phenolic substances. This fragrant herb’s major constituent, lemonal or citral, has antifungal and antimicrobial properties.

Lemongrass is a fragrant source of vital nutrients that offers a number of health advantages. It is a source of important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, B vitamins, folate, and vitamin C, as well as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, and iron, according to the USDA Food Data Central.

Lemongrass is a traditional herb that is used in Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Indonesian cooking. Due to its natural antibacterial properties, lemongrass essential oil has a history of use as a natural food preservative.

There are various international common names for the lemongrass plant (C. Citratus), including West Indian lemon grass or lemon grass in English, Hierba Limon or Zacate de limón in Spanish, Citronelle or Verveine des Indes in French, and Xiang mao in Chinese (Chinese). With over 80% of global yearly production, India is currently the largest producer of lemongrass oil.

One of the most widely utilized essential oils nowadays due to its numerous health advantages and applications is lemongrass. It is well recognized for battling heat and constricting bodily tissues because to its cooling and astringent properties. It acts primarily on the connective tissue, where structural and immunological processes intersect.

Lemongrass is effective in treating edema and lymphatic congestion because it affects the lymphatic capillaries and arteries that drain from the skin.

7 Health Benefits of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon)

1. Lower Cholesterol

The essential oils in lemongrass have been shown to have anti-hyperlipidemic and anti-hypercholesterolemic effects that support healthy cholesterol levels.

Lemongrass may also help maintain healthy levels of triglycerides and lower LDL, or bad cholesterol, according to one animal study.

This may aid in preventing cholesterol buildup in blood vessels and increasing unhindered blood flow in the arteries, hence preventing various heart illnesses like atherosclerosis.

2. May Help To Detoxify The Body

Lemongrass’s diuretic effects may aid in the removal of dangerous toxic wastes from the body. Detoxification may aid in the management of several bodily organs, such as the liver and kidneys, and it may also aid in lowering uric acid levels.

The herb’s potential diuretic impact aids in maintaining digestive health and body detoxification by increasing the volume and frequency of urination.

3. Relieves Stomach Disorder

According to studies, lemongrass essential oil may contain anti-microbial and anti-bacterial characteristics that can help combat diseases brought on by pathogens like Escherichia coli and Helicobacter pylori.

It is excellent in lowering inflammation and gastrointestinal issues; it may be beneficial to take if you have gastric ulcers, constipation, ulcerative colitis, diarrhea, nausea, or stomach aches, as well as to enhance digestion.

Anecdotally, lemongrass has been used for generations to treat gastritis, gastric ulcers, and indigestion. Research is now catching up to this long-known treatment and support.

A 2012 study demonstrates how ethanol and aspirin-induced gastrointestinal damage to animal subjects’ stomachs could be prevented by using lemongrass essential oil (Cymbopogon citratus).

Lemongrass oil may serve as a lead compound for future development of innovative therapeutics that combat nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-associated gastropathy.

4. May Help Treat Infections

Lemongrass has antibacterial and anti-fungal characteristics that make it a good antiseptic for treating diseases like ringworm, sores, athlete’s foot, scabies, and urinary tract infections (UTI).

Inhibiting the formation of pathogens is how the herb treats dermatological illnesses including yeast infections, according to studies.

Another study gives evidence demonstrating the superiority of lemongrass oil over thyme, patchouli, and cedarwood oil in the treatment of a variety of illnesses such vaginal or oral candidiasis.

5. Aids Aromatherapy

The useful essential oils and substances found in lemongrass include neroli, citronellol, myrcene, Dipentene, geraniol, and methyl heptane. Due to its healing properties, which aid in reviving the body, the oil is widely utilized in aromatherapy.

The essential oil’s cooling properties are advantageous for the body in hot weather and encourage the renewal of the mind and soul. Natural astringent and toning properties in this oil aid in promoting blood circulation and firming up skin tissues. For relaxing the nerves and reducing tension, weariness, and anxiety, it is utilized in therapeutic baths.

6. Skin Care

Is lemongrass oil skin-friendly? The ability of lemongrass essential oil to treat skin is one of its main advantages. In one study, researchers examined how a lemongrass infusion, which is created by scalding water over dried lemongrass leaves, affected the skin of animal test subjects.

Rats paws were treated with the infusion to evaluate lemongrass sedative effects. Lemongrass’s ability to relieve discomfort suggests that it can be utilized to calm skin irritations.

Shampoos, conditioners, deodorants, soaps, and lotions can all be made with lemongrass oil. With its antibacterial and astringent qualities, lemongrass oil is an excellent cleanser for all skin types and should be a part of your natural skin care regimen to achieve even, beautiful skin.

It can sanitize your pores, act as a natural toner, and fortify the tissues of your skin. You can relieve headaches or muscle pain by massaging this oil into your hair, scalp, and body.

7. Antibacterial

A 2012 study examined the impact of lemongrass’s antimicrobial properties. When lemongrass essential oil was introduced to a staph infection during a disk diffusion test on microorganisms, the results showed that the infection was disturbed and that the oil acts as an antibacterial (or bacteria-killing) agent.

Lemongrass oil contains citral and limonene, which can either kill or suppress the growth of germs and fungi. This will assist you in avoiding fungus diseases like ringworm, athlete’s foot, and other similar conditions. Lemongrass essential oil is a powerful antifungal and antibacterial agent, according to studies done on rats.

7 Health Benefits of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon)