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Lemongrass, medicine and mosquitoes

Lemongrass is widely used as a culinary herb in Asian cuisine and also as medicinal herb in India. It has a subtle citrus flavor and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh. It is commonly used in teas, soups, and curries. It is also suitable for use with poultry, fish, beef, and seafood. Lemongrass is a tropical herb packed with strong citrus flavor. The lemon taste is prized in Asian cooking, as well as in sauces. In the garden, lemongrass forms a tall, grassy clump 3 to 5 feet tall. Its appearance rivals that of many ornamental grasses and can easily fulfill a similar role in the landscape.

When you go to the grocery store, find the freshest lemongrass plants you can buy. When you get home, trim a couple of inches off the top of the lemongrass plants and peel away anything that looks somewhat dead. Take the stalks and put them into a glass of shallow water and place it near a sunny window. After a few weeks, you should start seeing tiny roots at the bottom of the lemongrass herb stalk. It’s not much different than starting any other plant in a glass of water. Wait for the roots to mature a little more and then you can transfer the lemongrass herb to a pot of soil.

 Lemongrass plants

Few pests bother lemongrass. This herb is actually sometimes used in concoctions to repel insects. Occasionally, though, spider mites will attack plants overwintering indoors. As lemongrass grows, it forms a tight clump that’s difficult to dig into. Use a sharp spade or hatchet to remove roots in early spring. Slice it like a pie, then pry slices of roots free. Keep an eye on plants in pots. With sufficient water, roots can quickly fill a too-small pot and burst it.

Growing lemongrass is as simple as taking your started plant out of the water and putting the rooted stalks into a pot containing all-purpose soil, with the crown just below the surface. You want to put this pot of lemongrass plants in a warm, sunny spot on a window ledge or out on your patio. Water it regularly. If you live in a warm climate, you can plant your lemongrass plants out in the backyard in a bog or pond. Of course, growing the plant indoors is nice for having easy access to the fresh plant whenever you need it.

 Lemongrass leaves

Leaves make a great addition to marinades and can be steeped in hot water for tea. Try these lemongrass recipes.

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/1067/ingredients/herbs-and-spices/herbs/lemongrass/

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/lemongrass-curry-with-broccoli-and-tofu/

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/19650/lemongrass+chicken

After use, add leaves to your compost pile or puree them and scatter them in the grass along the edges of a patio or deck to help deter insects.

Lemon grass has long been used in natural insect repellents which contain citronella oil. Native to Asia, the grass can grow up to six feet tall and is quite an attractive ornamental grass. To help deter mosquitoes with its strong fragrance, plant lemon grass along walkways and in locations close to seating areas. Lemongrass, also called fever grass, is a perennial plant with thin, long leaves that is indigenous to many Asian countries. As the name implies, lemongrass smells like lemon, but it tastes milder and sweeter. This herb is used in various Asian cuisines as a flavoring agent due to its potent flavor.

 Lemongrass recipes

Nutritionally, lemongrass is a good source of vitamins A and C, folate, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and manganese. It also has minute traces of B vitamins. Along with its culinary uses, lemongrass is useful in alternative or complementary remedies for a wide range of ailments. It has many beneficial medicinal properties including analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antipyretic, antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, astringent, carminative, diuretic, febrifuge, galactogogue, insecticidal, sedative, and anti-cancer properties. The leaves, stems and bulb of lemongrass are used in various treatments.

The link between lemongrass and cholesterol was investigated by researchers from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin, who published their findings in the medical journal Lipids in 1989. They conducted a clinical trial involving 22 people with high cholesterol who took 140-mg capsules of lemongrass oil daily. While cholesterol levels were only slightly affected in some of the participants, cholesterol was lowered from 310 to 294 on average. Other people in the study experienced a significant decrease in blood fats. The latter group, characterized as responders, experienced a 25-point drop in cholesterol after one month, and this positive trend continued over the course of the short study. After three months, cholesterol levels among the responders had decreased by a significant 38 points.

Pacu Jaya

Pacu Jaya

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