Educational information, not medical advice — ask your doctor or midwife.
Zacate limón is lemongrass, the tall grass Cymbopogon citratus. Its long leaves smell sharply of lemon. In Latin American homes the leaf is brewed as a hot tea for upset stomach, nerves and mild fevers.
You will also meet the plant as food. The thick stalks flavour soups, rice, stews and cold drinks. The same plant gives lemongrass essential oil, which is far stronger than any tea.
Here is the honest verdict. As a leaf tea it is safe for most adults and pleasant to drink. Good human proof that it treats any illness is thin.
Long use in a tradition is not proof that a remedy works. It is not proof that it is safe either. The rest of this page separates what was claimed from what has been tested.
Most of what is known about lemongrass comes from the lab, not from people.
In test tubes, lemongrass oil slows the growth of some bacteria and fungi. Whether a cup of tea does this inside your body is not known.
Citral is the main smell compound. In animal gut tissue it appears to relax muscle. That would fit the old use for cramps and gas, but it has not been shown in people.
In rodents, leaf extracts eased pain, fever and swelling. The doses used were often much higher than a tea gives. These results do not prove the same thing happens in you.
Animal work also points to a calming effect on the brain. Small human trials of lemongrass tea and of its aroma have not shown clear relief of anxiety.
A warm drink can soothe on its own. Some of what people feel from the tea is likely the warmth, the smell and the rest that comes with it.
The usual form is the leaf, fresh or dried, brewed as a tea.
Other forms you may see:
Fresh stalks and leaves, sold in food shops.
Dried cut leaf, loose or in tea bags.
Liquid extracts and tinctures.
Capsules of dried leaf powder.
Essential oil, sold for scent, soap and skin products.
The essential oil is very concentrated. It is not a food and must never be swallowed.
Skin products should be diluted. Neat oil on skin can burn or cause a rash.
Lemongrass began in South and Southeast Asia. Colonial trade carried it to the Americas, where it took root in gardens and kitchens.
It became a staple home remedy in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and Brazil. Healers brewed té de zacate limón for stomach cramps, gas, chills and fevers.
In Brazil the plant is called capim-santo or capim-limão. There it had a name as a bedtime tea for nerves and poor sleep.
Households used it in other ways too. Crushed leaves were rubbed on skin or burned to keep mosquitoes away. The leaf was also added to baths for restlessness.
Call emergency services at once if someone has swallowed lemongrass essential oil.
Get urgent help for swelling of the lips, face or tongue, a tight throat or trouble breathing. These are signs of a serious allergic reaction.
Stop using it and see a doctor if you get a rash, bad stomach pain, or ongoing vomiting.
See a doctor if your skin or eyes turn yellow, or if your urine turns dark. These can be liver warning signs.
Also see a doctor if a fever lasts more than three days, or if your symptoms keep getting worse.
In the United States, lemongrass is accepted as a food flavouring and sold as a food and supplement. It is not approved as a medicine there.
In the UK and the EU it is sold as a food and herbal tea. The essential oil is sold for scent and external use, not for drinking.
Evidence grades and traditional-use labels are explained in our methodology. Nothing here is medical advice.
What it is typically used for, usual dose, cautions, and the study behind it where real trial data exists.
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