Lemongrass or fever grass preparation
Lemon grass bundles being prepared for bathing.
Commonly called lemongrass or fever grass in many countries including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, this hardy grass is powerful as it rehydrates and helps when one is suffering from diarrhoea, stomach pain, fever, flatulence, flu, colds and coughs. The grass is compact and densely tufted perennial with bundles growing up to three feet.
Lemongrass can adapt to drought and heat, and while it can grow in a wide range of soils, it prefers ones that are well drained. As it is in the Poaceae family it can be planted on hilly areas to prevent erosion, although the root system is less effective than other grasses like vetiver.
Lemongrass is a powerful digestive as it contains citrol, which is antibacterial and antimicrobial, and can help with the process of soothing stomach aches or digestive pain. Lemongrass tea may help lower your overall cholesterol and triglyceride levels and is rich in antioxidants, including tannins, flavonoids and phenols, all of which help with inflammation
Contraindications: Lemongrass should not be used during pregnancy, lactation or by children under 3 years old.
Lemongrass bundle.
Tea Preparation:
You can prepare lemongrass and many bush teas by decoction or infusion.
For decoction, boil for at least 10 minutes in a covered pot. For infusion, add boiling water to a bundle of leaves, cover and leave to cool down.
Lemongrass tea can be made with either fresh or dried stalks.
Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces and add them to boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes. To make a stronger-tasting tea, let the stalks steep for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
Use roughly 1 tablespoon of dried stalks or 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh stalks for every 8 ounces of boiling water.
You can drink one cup two to three times a day. In case of diarrhoea, lemongrass can be considered complementary to oral rehydration therapy.
To kick this tea up a notch, add a clove or two of garlic or some grated ginger to relieve gas pains.