Lemongrass Tea: The Complete Guide to Flavor, Brewing, and Buying

If you've had a bowl of tom yum soup or a glass of iced tea with a bright, unmistakably lemon aroma that has nothing to do with actual lemon, you've met lemongrass. It's one of the more misunderstood herbs on a tea shelf — most people know the smell before they know the plant, and few have had it brewed on its own rather than buried in a broth.

A cup of plain lemongrass tea, made from good dried leaf, is easy to love: citrusy, smooth, naturally caffeine-free, and far more forgiving of a long steep than most leafy herbs.

This guide covers what lemongrass actually is, why it smells the way it does, how to tell good dried leaf from stale, how to brew it, and where it fits in a kitchen beyond the teacup.

What lemongrass actually is

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is a clumping perennial grass in the Poaceae family — the same family as wheat, rice, and sugarcane — native to India and Sri Lanka and now grown throughout tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. North Carolina State Extension's Gardener Plant Toolbox describes it as a dense clump reaching 2 to 4 feet tall, with the lower stalks and long, fibrous leaves carrying the aromatic oils people actually want.

Despite the name, lemongrass isn't related to lemon at all. The citrus scent comes entirely from its own chemistry — which is also why dried lemongrass leaf can smell more intensely of lemon than the fruit's own peel.

Why it smells like lemon

The compound responsible is citral — not one molecule but a pair of isomers, geranial and neral. A chemical analysis of commercial Cymbopogon citratus essential oil samples found citral content ranging from 40.7% up to 81.7% depending on how the leaf was processed, with unprocessed fresh leaf consistently testing highest and geranial outweighing neral by roughly two to one across most samples (chemical composition study, Molecules). Smaller amounts of myrcene and geraniol round out the aroma, adding a faint green, floral edge under the citrus.

That same research matters for buying, not just for chemistry: it found that grinding leaf into powder reduced oil content by as much as 68% compared to whole or coarsely cut leaf, since volatile citral escapes faster from a larger surface area. That's the practical case for buying lemongrass cut rather than ground, and for not letting a bag sit open on a shelf.

How to buy lemongrass worth drinking

Dried lemongrass is sold in a few different forms, and they aren't interchangeable.

Cut and sifted (whole-leaf, cut leaf). Pale green-yellow, fibrous strands, still visibly plant-like. This form holds its aromatic oil best, which is why it's the one worth buying for tea.

Powdered. Convenient for blending into other products, but as the composition data above shows, powder loses a substantial share of its aromatic oil in processing and keeps losing more in storage, thanks to its much larger surface area.

Fresh stalks. More intense flavor, but perishable and not shelf-stable — a different product from a pantry tea entirely.

A quality dried cut leaf should smell distinctly of lemon the moment you open the bag — not dusty, not flat, not like hay. If it doesn't smell like anything, the oils are already gone, no matter how recently it was packed.

How to brew lemongrass tea

Hot

Use 1–2 teaspoons of cut leaf per 8 oz cup. Pour water just off the boil over the leaf and steep 5 to 8 minutes, covered.

Lemongrass is fibrous, so a longer steep pulls out more flavor without turning bitter the way tannic leaves can. Covering the cup matters more than the exact steep time — because the flavor lives in volatile oils, an uncovered cup loses aroma to the air as it steeps. Cut leaf sheds fine pieces, so a fine mesh infuser or a drawstring filter bag keeps the cup clean.

Iced and cold-brewed

Brew double-strength (double the leaf, same water, same time) and pour over ice, or cold-brew a full-strength batch in the refrigerator overnight for a smoother, less astringent glass. Either way it makes a clean, caffeine-free alternative to iced black tea.

Ways to use lemongrass beyond the cup

Lemongrass is best known as an aromatic base rather than a garnish. It anchors Thai tom yum soup and Vietnamese pho broths, where whole stalks are bruised and simmered, then strained out before serving. Across Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, and West Africa it's also brewed on its own as an everyday tea, often alongside ginger or mint.

In the kitchen, dried cut leaf works well simmered directly into broths, curries, and rice, or steeped as tea and used as a cooking liquid.

• With chamomile — chamomile's round, apple-sweet body softens lemongrass's sharper citrus edge.
• With spearmint — a double-cooling cup, citrus over mint.
• With raw honey — honey smooths the edge for anyone who finds straight lemongrass a little sharp.

A note on safety

Lemongrass has a long, ordinary history as a food and flavoring ingredient. Lemongrass oil is among the essential oils and natural extractives affirmed as generally recognized as safe for food use under 21 CFR 182.20 — the same regulation that covers many common culinary herbs and spices.

One caveat worth knowing if you keep pets: NC State Extension's plant database flags Cymbopogon citratus as a plant of concern for cats, dogs, and horses. That listing concerns the living plant and its oils generally, not a brewed cup of tea specifically, but it's a reasonable reason to keep the dried leaf — and any lemongrass houseplants — out of reach of curious pets.

As with any botanical, if you're pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition, talk to a qualified healthcare provider before making any new herb a regular habit.

The Farmer Soul approach

We pack our lemongrass the same way we pack everything: cut leaf, not powder, because that's the form that actually holds its aromatic oil between our facility and your cup. It's organic and carefully sourced, single-ingredient with nothing added, and hand-packed in small batches in Las Vegas rather than run through a large distribution operation.

If a bag doesn't smell like lemon the moment you open it, that's not the standard we're going for — and it's not what we ship.

Frequently asked questions

What does lemongrass tea taste like?

Bright and citrusy with a grassy, faintly floral edge — closer to lemon peel than to anything sour. It's smooth enough to drink plain, with no astringency even after a long steep.

Is lemongrass tea caffeinated?

No. Lemongrass is naturally caffeine-free, which makes it a reasonable afternoon or evening option.

What's the difference between cut lemongrass and lemongrass powder?

Cut (whole-leaf) lemongrass holds its aromatic citral oils significantly better than powder, since grinding increases the surface area the oils can escape from. Powder is more convenient for blending but fades faster.

Can I use dried lemongrass the way I'd use fresh stalks in cooking?

Yes, with adjusted expectations — dried cut leaf is milder than fresh stalk. It works well simmered in broths, curries, and rice, or steeped as tea and used as a cooking liquid, but it won't replace fresh stalk in dishes that call for biting into bruised stalk pieces.

How should I store dried lemongrass?

Sealed, in a cool, dark, dry place, away from the stove and direct light. Because the flavor lives in volatile oils, buy what you'll use in the next few months rather than stocking up for the year.

Is lemongrass tea safe for everyone?

It's a long-established culinary and beverage ingredient with recognized flavoring status under FDA regulation. As with any botanical, pregnant or nursing individuals, anyone on medication, or anyone managing a health condition should check with a healthcare provider before making it a regular habit. It's also worth keeping the dried leaf away from pets.

Related reading

• Spearmint Leaf: The Complete Guide to Flavor, Brewing, and Buying
• Saffron 101: What It Is, Where It Comes From, and Why It Costs So Much
• Is Your Honey Real? What Honey Fraud, Lawsuits and Labels Can Teach Us About Choosing Better Honey

Sources

• Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass) — North Carolina State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
• Chemical Composition of Commercial Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass) Essential Oil Samples — Molecules (MDPI)
• 21 CFR 182.20 — Essential oils, oleoresins, and natural extractives — eCFR

This content is educational and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your individual situation.