Unexpected Healthy Benefits of Lemongrass

Unexpected Healthy Benefits of Lemongrass

Helps Digestion
Lemongrass promotes healthy digestion. It has antiseptic compounds that effectively kill bad bacteria and parasites in the digestive tract and repopulate the good bacteria in the colon.

This in turn helps treat digestive health problems like indigestion, constipation, heartburn, diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, stomach spasms, vomiting and cramps. Plus, lemongrass has antimicrobial properties that help relieve gastroenteritis.

For a healthy digestive tract, drink lemongrass tea on regular basis. Lemongrass tea, however, is not recommended for small children.

Controls Cholesterol Levels
The anti-cholesterol and anti-atherosclerosis action of lemongrass helps reduce the absorption of cholesterol from the intestine. Plus, it helps in the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol in the blood, which in turn helps prevent atherosclerotic plaque buildup.

A University of Wisconsin study in 1989 found that people with high cholesterol who took 140-milligram capsules of lemongrass oil daily noticed reduction in cholesterol levels. They also experienced a significant decrease in blood fats.

The high potassium content in lemongrass also helps lower and regulate blood pressure.

Simply drink a cup of lemongrass tea everyday to help lower your cholesterol level and reduce blood pressure. You can also take this herb in supplement form after consulting your doctor.

Anti-septic
Some research suggests that the antiseptic properties of lemongrass to be more powerful than penicillin and streptomycin when used as a treatment for staph infections. Kathi Keville of the American Herb Association says that if used as a compress or a wash, that lemon grass combats various kinds of skin infections and infected sores due to these antiseptic properties.

Antioxidants
Unstable free radicals interact together with the DNA and proteins of the cells in your system. These interactions can lead to chronic diseases like Alzheimers and cancer. The antioxidants in lemongrass have been shown to stop these reactions.

Strengthens bones
Did you know that the trace mineral manganese is necessary for bone health? Study participants among postmenopausal women have shown that those who take a combination of calcium, zinc, copper and manganese have lesser spinal bone loss compared to those who didn’t.

Fights arthritis
Manganese may also be beneficial in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. If taken along with glucosamine and chondroitin, some people have noticed lowered pain, although some find it to be ineffective.

Keeps Anemia at Bay
Lemongrass is a very good source of iron, a mineral which helps prevent iron-deficiency anemia. If you notice frequent fatigue, weakness, and decreased ability to concentrate, add more lemongrass in your daily diet or increase your natural iron intake by eating more leafy greens and other iron-rich vegetables.

Helps Fight Cancer
According to an Israeli research team led by Prof Yakov Weinstein and Dr Rivka Ofir, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, there are possibilities that lemongrass may have the potential to fight cancer. The Alternative Remedies website has stated that Ben Gurion University in 2006 discovered that certain components present in substances with lemon scent, such as lemongrass have been found to kill the cancer causing cells in vitro but they did not harm the healthy cells. The study says that the aroma of lemongrass was responsible for stimulating the cancer cells to commit suicide through a mechanism known as programmed cell death.

Relief From Menstrual Cramps
Menstrual cramps are faced by millions of women, and they are always at misery whenever their menses start. A routine of drinking hot lemongrass tea twice a day can relieve you of menstrual cramps. It is also an anti-acne tonic which usually increases during the menses as a result of hormonal changes.

Promotes Good Cell Division
This beneficial herb also contains Folic Acid which is good in promoting healthy cell division. It is also essential for the prevention of neural tube defects in most babies. The leaves and stems both contain folic acid.

Eliminates Toxins
Lemon grass has a diuretic effects like coffee. Diuretics are those that urges urination like coffee, soda and other. It effectively increases the frequency and quantity of the body's urination capability. This characteristic makes elimination of toxins more efficient and easy. Other related medicinal benefits of lemon grass are the effective elimination of toxins from pancreas, bladder, liver and digestive tract

Promotes Efficient Blood Circulation
The body which has efficient circulation of the blood prevents several major diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol level and cardiovascular diseases.