Lemongrass Tea

Lemongrass has been cultivated and used across South and Southeast Asia for so long that separating wild origin from cultivation history is difficult. It is most deeply embedded in the culinary traditions of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, where it is as fundamental to everyday cooking as garlic or ginger.

In Thai cuisine, takhrai (lemongrass) appears in virtually every aromatic preparation — curry pastes, soups, marinades, herbal drinks. The flavour of tom kha and tom yum soups, two of Thailand's most iconic dishes, is defined as much by lemongrass as by any other ingredient. A slow-simmered broth of lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime is essentially a form of lemongrass tea in its own right.

In Vietnam, sả (lemongrass) tea is a common household drink, particularly in the south. It is brewed simply — just fresh stalks simmered in water — and served both hot and cold. In the Mekong Delta region, it is often combined with ginger for an invigorating morning drink.

Across West Africa and the Caribbean, lemongrass tea — there often called "fever grass" — has a long history as a traditional household remedy sipped during illness, though this guide describes that context culturally rather than as a health claim.

In Ayurvedic and traditional Sri Lankan herbal practice, lemongrass is classified as a digestive and carminative herb — one believed to support the digestive process and ease the discomfort of a heavy meal. This reputation as an after-meal herb is widespread and cross-cultural, and it pairs well with the tea's naturally refreshing, palate-cleansing character.

Citral, lemongrass's dominant aromatic compound, is one of the better-studied monoterpenoid aldehydes in botanical research. Its antimicrobial properties against various bacterial and fungal strains have been documented in laboratory settings — findings that help explain the traditional use of lemongrass in food preservation and in folk remedies.

Research into lemongrass has also examined its antioxidant activity, and it scores well in standard in-vitro assays. As with all such laboratory findings, the translation to meaningful human health effects from a cup of tea requires much more evidence than exists at present. We note these findings as context for the plant's chemistry, not as health promises.

Lemongrass essential oil has been studied in aromatherapy contexts with some interest in its effects on self-reported anxiety and stress. Again, the concentrations used in such research differ enormously from the amounts present in a brewed cup of lemongrass tea.

One interesting avenue of research involves lemongrass tea specifically (rather than extract or oil) in the context of digestive comfort — some human survey studies suggest people who regularly drink lemongrass tea report subjective improvements in digestion. The mechanisms are plausible (citral may influence gastric motility) but not yet rigorously established.

The overall picture is a plant with rich and interesting chemistry, a long tradition of use, and a growing — though still early-stage — evidence base. A cup of lemongrass tea is something you can enjoy with curiosity and pleasure, without needing to overclaim what it does.

Flavor profile

Lemongrass tea tastes exactly as it smells: bright, citrusy and clean, with a vivid lemon quality that sits lighter and less sharp than actual lemon juice. There is a subtle grassy sweetness underneath — the plant's botanical nature coming through — and a pleasant, gentle warmth on the finish that is nothing like pepper, more like a soft citrus glow.

The flavour is naturally refreshing. It does not need sweetening, though a small drizzle of honey rounds it pleasantly. It has a clean, palate-clearing quality that is particularly welcome after a meal or on a warm day. Iced, it becomes genuinely thirst-quenching.

Fresh lemongrass gives a more vivid, aromatic cup than dried; the top notes are brighter and the whole experience is closer to drinking from a living plant. Dried lemongrass is still excellent, with a slightly deeper, more concentrated citrus note — different but equally satisfying.

Aroma

Open a bag of good dried lemongrass and the aroma is immediately uplifting: clean, zesty and tropically citrusy. It is one of those botanical smells that feels genuinely cheerful — a quality that carries directly into the cup.

Fresh lemongrass stalks smell even more vivid — scratch the cut end of a stalk and the citral floods out, intense and wonderful. This is why fresh lemongrass makes such a distinctive cup.

When steeping, the aroma that rises from a covered cup of lemongrass tea is one of the best reasons to always steep covered — and to lift the lid slowly and deliberately before the first sip. The steam delivers the top aromatic notes directly, in a way the brewed liquid alone cannot quite match.

Lemongrass benefits from higher brewing temperatures than many herbal teas. It is a fibrous grass rather than a delicate petal or leaf, and its citral-rich essential oils need the full heat of just-boiled water — 100°C — to extract properly into the infusion.

Steep for six minutes for a full-flavoured hot cup. If you are making iced tea, brew at double strength — double the lemongrass, same time — then cool and pour over ice. The cold dilutes the intensity, so starting strong ensures the flavour survives.

Fresh stalks need a little preparation. Cut a 10–15 cm section of the lower stalk, bruise it by bending it firmly or giving it a few whacks with the flat of a knife, and either slice it into rings or leave it in large pieces to strain easily. Bruising is essential — it ruptures the oil glands and dramatically increases extraction.

Lemongrass tea is genuinely versatile — it works morning, afternoon and evening, hot or iced, plain or with additions. Its refreshing, palate-cleansing quality makes it particularly well-suited after meals, where its citrus brightness cuts through richness and leaves the mouth feeling clean and light.

Hot in a tall glass or a clear mug, it shows off its pale golden colour beautifully. A bruised stalk left in the cup as a stirrer is a lovely touch that continues infusing gently as you drink.

Iced lemongrass tea is one of the most refreshing summer drinks in the herbal repertoire. Brew double-strength, cool to room temperature, add ice and a squeeze of lime. A few slices of fresh ginger or a sprig of mint are excellent additions. It also makes a beautiful base for a fruity iced blend with hibiscus or pineapple sage.

Lemongrass combines well with ginger in equal parts — a classic Southeast Asian pairing — for a more warming, spiced cup that works beautifully as a cold-weather drink as well.

Dried lemongrass is one of the more robust herbs to store: its aromatic compounds are intense enough to survive several months of proper storage without significant loss. Keep it in a sealed glass jar or tin, away from heat and direct light.

Well-stored dried lemongrass stays fragrant and potent for 12 to 18 months. The quality check is simple: it should smell immediately zesty and citrusy when you open the container. If the aroma is flat or faint, it has passed its best.

Fresh lemongrass keeps in the refrigerator for two to three weeks wrapped loosely in damp paper. It also freezes well: trim and bruise the stalks, wrap tightly in cling film, and freeze for up to six months. Frozen lemongrass brews almost as well as fresh. For detailed guidance on storing all your herbs, visit our herbal tea storage guide.

Lemongrass is one of the most beginner-friendly herbal teas available. Its flavour is bright, clean and immediately appealing — there is no acquired taste involved, and it is very hard to make a truly unpleasant cup as long as you use reasonable quantities.

If you are starting with dried lemongrass, a teaspoon per cup is a good starting point. If you have access to fresh stalks — widely available in Asian grocery stores and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets — try a fresh cup at least once. The vivid, alive quality of fresh-brewed lemongrass is something dried simply cannot fully replicate.

Beyond just drinking it hot, consider trying it iced on your second or third attempt. It is one of the herbs that genuinely transforms over ice — more refreshing, more summery and somehow even more citrusy. Use our brewing timer for the first few cups to nail the timing, then you will find you brew it confidently without thinking.

Most published lemongrass research focuses on the essential oil (citral and its components) or on concentrated plant extracts — not on the amount of compounds present in an ordinary cup of brewed tea. When reading studies, pay attention to the form and dosage used.

Citral's antimicrobial properties are among the best-documented findings; these have been replicated across multiple laboratory studies and are one reason lemongrass has long been used in food contexts. Human trials of brewed lemongrass tea specifically are rare, which is a gap the research literature has not yet fully addressed.

The Journal of Ethnopharmacology is a good source for traditional-use studies and preliminary ethnobotanical research. For more rigorous clinical evidence, PubMed searches filtering for "randomised controlled trial" alongside "Cymbopogon citratus" will show what currently exists — which is still limited, but growing. Our guide to reading herbal research helps you weigh what you find.