What is Té de Limón?
Té de limón is a hot or iced tea made from the leaves and stalks of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus and related species). It is a tall, sharp-edged grass with a bright lemon smell, and the tea is drunk daily across Latin America, the Caribbean and West Africa as a calming, settling drink after meals or before bed.
People reach for it most often for an upset stomach, gas, feeling tense or wound up, trouble winding down at night, and mild fevers or colds. In many households it is simply the everyday tea, not a medicine at all.
The evidence verdict is short: lemongrass tea has deep and wide traditional standing, but human trial evidence is thin and low quality, so traditional use here is not proof that it works. Enjoy it as a pleasant drink with a long history, and do not rely on it to treat a medical problem.
How does Té de Limón work?
The honest answer is that nobody has shown clearly how té de limón works in people.
The leaves are full of aromatic oils, mainly citral, which give the lemon smell. In laboratory dishes and in animals, these oils relax smooth muscle (the muscle in the gut wall), kill some bacteria and fungi, and calm inflammation. That is a plausible reason a warm cup might ease cramping or gas.
There is also a simpler explanation that should not be dismissed. A warm, fragrant drink and a few quiet minutes settle most people, and much of the calming effect people report may come from that rather than from any chemical action.
What forms does Té de Limón come in?
Fresh stalks and leaves, chopped and steeped in hot water. This is the usual home preparation.
Dried cut leaf, loose or in tea bags, sold in supermarkets and botánicas.
Essential oil, used for scent, massage blends and insect repellent. It is for external or aroma use only.
Capsules and liquid extracts, which are far less studied than the tea and have no agreed dose.
Where it comes from:
Lemongrass came originally from South and Southeast Asia and spread with trade and colonisation to Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America, where it took root in local gardens and local medicine.
In Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean it is a standard household tea for nervios (nerves), stomach upset and fever. In Nigeria and Ghana it is used for fevers and coughs, and in Brazil it is called capim-santo or erva-cidreira and drunk for calm and sleep.
That spread across several separate traditions is why its traditional standing is rated at the top tier, even though the trial evidence is not.
Who should avoid Té de Limón?
- Do not use if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant: lemongrass is traditionally avoided in pregnancy and high doses have harmed the unborn young in animal studies.
- Do not use if you are breastfeeding, because there is no safety information for the nursing baby.
- Do not use if you are looking for a way to take the essential oil by mouth — the concentrated oil must never be swallowed, as it can burn the mouth, throat and stomach.
- Do not use if you are giving it to a baby or young child in concentrated form, including oil rubbed on the chest or under the nose, which can cause serious breathing problems.
- Do not use if you have known liver disease, unless your doctor says the occasional cup is fine.
- Do not use if you have known kidney disease or are on fluid restriction, because lemongrass makes you pass more urine.
- Do not use if you are allergic to lemongrass, citronella or other aromatic grasses.
- Do not use if you take diabetes medicine or insulin without checking your blood sugar more closely, as your levels may fall too low.
- Do not use if you are having surgery within two weeks, because of possible effects on blood sugar and blood pressure.
- Do not use if you are drinking large amounts of strong extract or capsules in place of the ordinary tea, as these have not been tested for safety.
When should you see a doctor?
See a doctor if your stomach pain is severe, keeps coming back, or comes with vomiting, blood in your stool, or weight loss you did not plan.
Get medical help the same day for a fever above 39C (102F), a fever lasting more than three days, or a fever with a stiff neck, rash or confusion.
Go to an emergency department if you get swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, a spreading hives rash, wheezing or trouble breathing after taking lemongrass, or if anyone swallows lemongrass essential oil.
Also speak to a doctor if you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or pain in the upper right side of your belly, which can be signs of liver trouble.
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