Lemongrass tea is an herbal beverage made by infusing a packet of dried lemongrass in a cup or pot of hot water. The drink can be served hot, shortly after the packet of herbs as finished steeping, or cold. To serve the tea cold, it can be left to chill in a refrigerator or poured over a generous amount of ice. The resulting beverage, cold or hot, is both very refreshing and zesty.
The herb lemongrass is most commonly used in cooking, particularly in savory dishes. It is most common in cuisines from Southeast Asia and is considered to be one of the most important and distinctive flavors in Thai cooking. Lemongrass tea has a flavor very true to the flavor of the herb itself. As the name suggests, the tea tastes of lemon, but also includes hints of ginger as well. As the flavor of lemongrass pairs well with ginger, sometimes lemongrass tea includes ginger or the two herbs are blended together in an herbal tea with other milder ingredients.
In addition to being blended with ginger root, lemongrass is often blended with mint or chamomile. These two herbs complement the flavors of lemongrass quite well and are also a bit milder. As such, they help to round out the flavor profile of the tea. These sorts of blends are often enjoyed by people who like the flavor of lemongrass, but prefer to have it's zesty flavor smoothed out by milder flavors.
Herbalists believe that lemongrass tea has a number of benefits for those who drink it. One of the benefits of the tea is that it is supposed to help to lift the spirits and may improve the mood and sense of well-being. It is also believed that lemongrass tea can help to cure indigestion. This is especially true of blends of the tea that are made with ginger as ginger is excellent at curing indigestion. Of course, those experiencing serious depression or digestive issues should seek out medical help.
Another benefit of lemongrass tea is that it is naturally caffeine free. Unlike teas that are decaffeinated, which means that they still contain a small amount of caffeine, lemongrass tea has no caffeine at all. This means that it can be enjoyed at all times of the day and night. It can be especially enjoyable after dinner, especially for those who are prone to bouts of indigestion in the evenings.
