The Wonders of Lemongrass
Lemongrass is a beautiful and refreshing shrub, easy to grow in the garden, and for those without one, it can be grown in a pot. So what else can be done with lemongrass leaves?
One of the plants adorning many ornamental gardens is lemongrass. Its name hints at its nature – the pleasant lemony scent released when the leaves are rubbed. The lesser-known fact is that from lemongrass leaves, one can prepare a delicious tea infusion reminiscent of the refreshing lemon flavor. Even more unknown are the health benefits of this plant.
In general, an infusion of lemongrass leaves can help calm the digestive system and relieve pain. Additionally, the aromatic oil of lemongrass has the ability to repel insects and mosquitoes.
However, in recent years, this plant has been researched at Ben-Gurion University, and it has been found that the compound providing the lemon aroma in lemongrass, also present in lemon verbena and melissa, called 'citral', kills cancer cells in vitro while not harming healthy cells. The interesting fact is that the research used an infusion of just one gram of lemongrass in a cup of water, exactly as we can do at home. When researchers were asked whether today's tea bags still contain the active compound 'citral' and whether it remains active, their response was that since the active compound content in tea bags is very small, it does not matter if it is active. The researchers also mentioned that although 'citral' was active in laboratory conditions, it is not known yet whether it is effective against cancerous tissues in the body, and investigations into this matter are ongoing.
In another study (reported by Dr. Mordechai Hochberg), it was found that this herb contains two additional compounds named 'farnesol' and 'geraniol'. These compounds function similarly to the chemotherapy drug used to treat pancreatic cancer and are even stronger. Also, they have no side effects.
Lemongrass is a beautiful and refreshing shrub, extremely easy to grow in the garden, and those without a garden can grow it in a planter. Before making the infusion, it is advisable to cut the leaves into small pieces.
A recipe for a very tasty infusion: Take some lemongrass leaves and some white savory leaves. Infuse and drink. To health!
Eliyahu Shecter is an iridologist and natural healer
