Lemongrass is often used in various dishes. Not a few also use lemongrass leaves as a drink and are usually mixed with tea or ginger stew.
In addition, lemongrass can also produce oil. Lemongrass oil has a myriad of health benefits.
Citronella oil comes from the extracted leaves and stems of citronella. Launching CNN Indonesia from Healthline, citronella oil has been used to treat digestive problems and high blood pressure. Lemongrass oil is classified as an essential oil, and is often used as aromatherapy to help relieve stress, anxiety and depression.
Among the benefits of citronella oil, it can relieve headaches and migraines. Researchers in Australia believe that a compound in lemongrass called eugenol has a similar ability to aspirin.
Eugenol is thought to prevent blood platelets from clumping together. This substance also releases serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that regulates mood, sleep, appetite and cognitive function.
Lemongrass oil is also believed to be useful in relieving pain. According to Greatist, a small 2017 study looked at daily topical use of citronella oil helped reduce pain levels in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Generally, pain levels decrease from 80 to 50 percent within 30 days.
In addition, citronella oil is beneficial for digestive health. Some evidence suggests that lemongrass can help reduce nausea, pain, bloating, and cramps caused by various gastrointestinal conditions.
Lemongrass oil is also useful for reducing cholesterol and is believed to help heart health. A 2011 study conducted on mice found that citronella oil could reduce hyperlipidemia or high levels of fatty particles in the blood.
A 2007 study also found that citronella oil reduced cholesterol in rats that were given a high cholesterol diet for 2 weeks.
Some people use lemongrass essential oil as a way to calm down. Lemongrass oil is usually found for aromatherapy, mindfulness, and yoga practices. It is also possible to enhance the anti-stress benefits of massage therapy.
