The best part of this cold and dreary time of year is sipping something warm by the fireplace (or space heater), tucked under a comfy throw. I came across lemongrass at the farmer’s market a few weeks ago and it makes a wonderful tea. Simply wash the lemongrass—one stalk is fine, break or cut it into several pieces and place in a pot with about six cups of structured water. Boil for 5-8 minutes. Pour in your favorite mug and add a teaspoon of pure maple syrup, or more, to taste. This wonder herb, lemongrass, cleanses bodily organs including the kidney, pancreas, liver and bladder, clearing skin and treat blemishes in the process.
Lemongrass also acts as a tissue and muscle toner, and helps to improve the digestive system. It can help to reduce blood pressure, and remove excess cholesterol, uric acid, toxins and fats from the body, thus stimulating blood circulation.
It is also good for treating gas and indigestion. Ladies, if you live with a man who is dropping some bombs, make him this tea!
Finally, I read that if you mix black pepper in your lemongrass tea, it relieves menstrual cramps.
Lemongrass is is incredibly soothing and thus used extensively in aromatherapy. Crack open the stalk and take a deep breath. Repeat.
At my market, I get a bundle of about six stalks for $1. I’ve bought my week’s tea needs with no tea bags, plastic individual wrappings or paper product box, for $1. How delightful!
Sweetening with natural grade B maple syrup will add a dose of minerals, vitamins and life force energy to your caffeine-free tea. Make sure you are getting maple syrup and not a cheap imitation. These are the ingredients I found in a commercial, imitation maple syrup: High Fructose corn syrup, water, cellulose gum, salt, natural and artificial flavors, caramel color, sorbic acid, sodium benzoate and sodium hexameta phosphate. No maple anything! That this name brand is so successful at selling a chemical version of something widely available in its natural form tells me people do not know what they are buying. The only ingredient you’ll find in a natural maple syrup is: maple syrup.
Blythe Metz’s website is TheSolutionsDoc.com.
Photo courtesy Nicholas Kenrick
