HEALTH BENEFITS OF LEMONGRASS TEA: THE TROPICAL HERB WITH A SURPRISINGLY DEEP RESEARCH BASE

Lemongrass, the tall tropical grass Cymbopogon citratus widely used in Southeast Asian and Caribbean cuisine, produces a fragrant, citrus-flavored tea that is as pleasant to drink as it is functionally interesting from a nutritional science perspective. Unlike some herbal teas where the health benefit claims run well ahead of the evidence, lemongrass has accumulated a meaningful body of research on its bioactive compounds and their effects in both laboratory and clinical settings. This is partly due to its widespread use in traditional medicine across Asia, Africa, and the Americas, which generated enough research interest to produce a solid body of pharmacological investigation. Here is what the current evidence actually supports for lemongrass tea consumed as a regular beverage.

THE BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS IN LEMONGRASS

Lemongrass essential oil is dominated by citral, specifically the isomers neral and geranial, which together typically comprise 65 to 85 percent of the oil by mass. Citral is responsible for the characteristic lemon fragrance and is also an active antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal compound. Additional bioactive constituents include citronellal, geraniol, limonene, beta-myrcene, and linalool. The flavonoid fraction contains luteolin, isoorientin, and quercetin. Lemongrass also contains chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and isoeugenol. The mineral content includes manganese, iron, and potassium at low but meaningful concentrations. Studies indexed through PubMed have confirmed the absorption of lemongrass bioactive compounds following oral consumption, and the compound’s documented activities have been evaluated across multiple research contexts from food safety to pharmaceutical screening.

ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY

Citral and other lemongrass essential oil compounds demonstrate potent antimicrobial activity against a broad range of bacterial and fungal pathogens. The mechanism involves disruption of microbial cell membrane integrity, similar to the mechanism of oregano’s carvacrol. Lemongrass oil has shown activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus species in laboratory settings. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry demonstrated significant activity against multiple oral bacteria associated with dental plaque and caries, suggesting a potential application for lemongrass tea as an oral health beverage. The concentrations achieved in systemic circulation from drinking lemongrass tea are below those tested in antimicrobial assays, but the gut-level concentrations during digestion and the oral cavity concentrations during consumption are relevant for gastrointestinal and oral health applications respectively.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS

The combined flavonoid and essential oil content of lemongrass produces both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity that has been measured in multiple experimental contexts. Isoorientin, a flavone glycoside specific to lemongrass, has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory activity in animal models of acute and chronic inflammation through inhibition of COX-2 and reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine release. Citral inhibits the production of nitric oxide in inflammatory macrophage models. The chlorogenic acid and luteolin content contributes antioxidant capacity that is measurable in standardized assays. A study in male subjects found that daily lemongrass tea consumption for 30 days produced improvements in antioxidant enzyme activity and reductions in lipid peroxidation markers compared to baseline, providing human evidence that the antioxidant compounds in lemongrass tea produce measurable systemic effects at dietary consumption levels.

DIGESTIVE SUPPORT AND ANTISPASMODIC PROPERTIES

Lemongrass has a long traditional use for digestive complaints including bloating, cramping, and indigestion across multiple traditional medicine systems in Asia, the Caribbean, and West Africa. The essential oil compounds, particularly citral and geraniol, have demonstrated antispasmodic effects on gastrointestinal smooth muscle in laboratory preparations, reducing the contractile frequency and amplitude that produces cramping and bloating. A study in rats found that lemongrass oil significantly reduced gastric ulcer formation induced by aspirin and stress, suggesting gastroprotective properties that may be relevant for athletes who use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for pain management and who are at increased risk for gastrointestinal mucosal irritation from this combination. The anti-inflammatory effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa are consistent with the traditional application of lemongrass tea for digestive discomfort and may have direct relevance for athletes who experience gastrointestinal symptoms during and after training.

ANXIETY REDUCTION AND SLEEP SUPPORT

The linalool content of lemongrass provides a mechanism for the anxiolytic and mild sedative effects attributed to lemongrass tea in traditional use across multiple cultures. Linalool, as discussed in the context of lavender tea, interacts with GABA-A receptors in the central nervous system, and its presence in lemongrass at lower but meaningful concentrations provides a biological basis for the calming effects that traditional users describe. A small pilot study found that lemongrass aroma significantly reduced anxiety in patients undergoing dental procedures. While the oral consumption route differs from the aromatherapy route studied, linalool is absorbed systemically from both pathways and interacts with the same receptor targets. Evening consumption of lemongrass tea is consistent with traditional use as a relaxation beverage before sleep.

CHOLESTEROL AND CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS

Several animal studies have found that lemongrass supplementation reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides while increasing HDL cholesterol. The proposed mechanisms include inhibition of cholesterol synthesis enzymes and enhanced cholesterol excretion through bile. Human clinical evidence for these cardiovascular effects is more limited than the animal data, but a study of male subjects who drank lemongrass tea daily found a trend toward reduced total cholesterol over 30 days compared to baseline. These findings are preliminary and should not be cited as established clinical evidence for cholesterol management, but they are consistent with the mechanistic findings and justify continued research interest. For individuals already following a heart-healthy diet who want to explore lemongrass tea as an additional complementary dietary strategy, the evidence is suggestive without being conclusive at the human clinical level.

PREPARING LEMONGRASS TEA AND DAILY USE

Lemongrass tea is prepared from fresh or dried lemongrass stalks. For fresh preparation, bruise one to two stalks by pressing firmly with a knife handle or rolling pin to release the essential oils, then simmer in water for ten to fifteen minutes. Dried lemongrass can be steeped in hot water for seven to ten minutes. The resulting tea is a clear, pale yellow with a bright, clean citrus aroma and a light, refreshing flavor that most people find immediately appealing. Lemongrass pairs naturally with ginger, which adds warmth and its own digestive and anti-inflammatory properties to the blend. Two to three cups daily is a reasonable and safe consumption level for most healthy adults. Lemongrass tea is generally well-tolerated with no significant known drug interactions or safety concerns at normal dietary consumption levels. Its pleasant flavor and complete caffeine freedom make it an easy daily beverage habit to establish and maintain.

Lemongrass tea’s pleasant flavor creates a meaningful practical advantage over many other functional herbal teas that require acquired taste adaptation or deliberate commitment to consume regularly. The bright, citrus-forward profile makes it immediately appealing to most people regardless of prior herbal tea experience, and its complete caffeine freedom makes it suitable for all times of day including with evening meals and before sleep. In Southeast Asian cultures where lemongrass tea and lemongrass-infused beverages are consumed daily as a matter of culinary tradition rather than deliberate health optimization, the long-term health outcomes of the populations with the highest consumption rates have attracted epidemiological interest from researchers studying diet and disease patterns. While confounding factors in population-level dietary studies are always complex, the sustained consumption of lemongrass alongside other traditional dietary staples appears to contribute to the favorable cardiovascular and metabolic health profiles observed in several of these populations. Establishing a daily lemongrass tea habit as one component of a broadly health-supporting dietary pattern is a low-effort, evidence-consistent practice that costs pennies per cup and delivers genuine bioactive value with every serving.

If you are exploring herbal teas for health benefits, also see our guides on green tea benefits and peppermint tea — both have strong evidence bases for daily wellness use.