Lemon Verbena Digestive Insomnia. Lemon verbena is used for digestive disorders including
- indigestion
- gas
- colic
- diarrhea
- and constipation./li>
It is also used for
- agitation
- joint pain
- insomnia
- asthma
- colds
- fever
- hemorrhoids
- varicose veins
- skin conditions
- and chills.
Lemon verbena is an amazing and often underrated herb that’s highly valued for its therapeutic and health benefits. It also has a wonderful lemony aroma and refreshing flavour. Typical uses of lemon verbena are as a herb or for steeping to make a delicious lemon flavoured herbal tea.
In the kitchen, lemon verbena is known to be used in sweet cocktails and iced teas, as well as a garnish for salads and fruit cups. It’s also an ingredient in dessert recipes such as cookies, ice cream, puddings and jellies. Since the herb is so potent a little goes a long way in recipes. It also makes a great hot tea on its own or in a mix with other herbs. Lemon verbena’s fresh citrus scent has even led to its inclusion in fragrances and scented sachets.
Lemon verbena has been used for centuries, if not millennia. There’s is a long history of its use in traditional medicine for treating
- colds
- fever
- anxiety
- indigestion
- spasms
- and insomnia
It is also popular as an infusion for boosting the immune system and a natural aid for weight loss.
The lemon verbena plant is a woody shrub with lance-shaped, light green leaves and small white or lilac flowers. A fully grown shrub can reach up to 2-3 metres high. When bruised, the leaves release a powerful lemony scent, from which its name is derived. Scientifically, it’s known as Aloysia citrodora or (confusingly) also Lippia citriodora or Aloysia triphylla. The multiple scientific names are due to several reclassifications over the course of history. Of the more popular lemon-scented herbs, lemon verbena is probably the lesser known. Both lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon) are more popular but not because they are necessarily better. A properly cultivated lemon verbena generally has a stronger lemony flavour and aroma than lemon balm or lemongrass. Although native to South America, lemon verbena has been cultivated in Europe for centuries. Nowadays, lemon verbena is widely cultivated, mostly for its oil (used in cosmetics and candles) and for consumption as a herbal tea.
Lemon verbena makes a deliciously refreshing and balmy infusion. It’s soothing and relaxing, naturally caffeine free and full of health-boosting properties.The infusion is made by steeping fresh or dried lemon verbena leaves for about five minutes. Always use freshly boiled water. Fresh water is important as this helps extract the best flavour. However, the primary factor affecting flavour and aroma is the leaf quality.
There is a long history of lemon verbena consumption in South America. It is believed that, in ancient times, the Incas were the first who discovered its beneficial properties. Lemon verbena is still widely used as a traditional medicine these days. Many academic studies have been undertaken to evaluate lemon verbena. These show that lemon verbena possesses several beneficial properties, including antioxidant, anti-anxiety, and anti-inflammatory effects.The studies also validate the majority of traditional therapeutic and health-boosting claims. However, more work still remains to completely understand the exact workings – particularly regarding the potential synergistic effects of the various biological components. It is a useful herb to use for a detox & for its immunity boosting properties.
As an aid to natural slimming, it has been shown to suppress the appetite, helping curb those irresistible cravings for snacks or sweets. Drinking lemon verbena tea between meals can, therefore, help you stick to your diet and achieve your weight-loss goals. In addition to the natural appetite suppressing property, which prevents overeating, lemon verbena tea also promotes the burning of fat, stimulates the breakdown of cellulite, and regulates the metabolism.
Lemon verbena makes a soothing and relaxing infusion. Finding time for yourself to enjoy a delicious cup of tea relieves tension and helps reduce stress. But the components in lemon verbena give an extra boost as they have a mildly calming effect on the nervous system and help relieve muscle tension. These calming and tension releasing properties aid in reducing nerves, anxiety, and stress. Studies have indicated that verbascoside, a biological component in the lemon verbena leaf, is the main ingredient responsible for the stress and anxiety reducing properties.
Many take advantage of lemon verbena’s calming effects as an aid to sleep disorders such as insomnia. The same properties that help reduce tension and stress can calm the body and mind and help one prepare for a good night’s sleep. Lemon verbena is also rich in melatonin, a hormone in our bodies that increases as night approaches. Its production is stimulated by darkness and causes you to become sleepy. Drinking lemon verbena tea is a natural way to help increase the amount of melatonin in your body. Lemon verbena’s ability to soothe and relax, its rich melatonin content, and lack of caffeine make it an ideal evening drink. It can help one to wind down, relax the body, and calm the mind for easing into a restful night’s sleep.
In many cultures, lemon verbena tea has historically been used to promote digestion. Similar to other herbs renowned for their beneficial digestive properties, lemon verbena can soothe your tummy, through its antispasmodic qualities. This means it calms the gastrointestinal tract. By doing so, it can help reduce symptoms from, for example, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), indigestion, cramping, or bloating. This allows the digestive tract to function as intended.
The biological components in lemon verbena have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory properties. The antioxidant properties of the plant are also beneficial for reducing the inflammatory effects of oxidative elements.This ability of lemon verbena to contain and reduce inflammation could, for example, help ease joint pain or other inflammatory induced ailments.
Studies have shown the unique qualities of lemon verbena can prevent muscle damage in athletes when taken as a pre-workout supplement. It is lemon verbena’s antioxidant properties combined with its ability to suppress inflammation that have been linked to damage prevention and repair of muscle tissue. What’s more, taking lemon verbena as a pre-workout supplement has been shown to not inhibit the growth or development of muscle.
It has been scientifically proven that lemon verbena contains biologically active substances with antipyretic properties, i.e., substances that reduce fever. Therefore, it is no surprise that in South American folk medicine, lemon verbena has a long history as a trusted herb for reducing fevers. Lemon verbena’s ability to reduce fevers along with its restorative and antioxidant properties, make it an excellent tea for naturally combating a high temperature and kick-starting recovery.
The final health benefit of lemon verbena is its property as a natural expectorant. An expectorant helps loosen up mucus and phlegm, clearing congestion in the respiratory tracts.