A Comprehensive Guide to Lemon Verbena Tea
Lemon verbena is a beloved herb known for its fresh, citrus aroma and numerous health benefits. Used for centuries in traditional medicine, it has gained popularity as a soothing herbal infusion. Whether you’re seeking a calming tea to unwind after a busy day or a refreshing drink to cleanse your palate, lemon verbena offers a delightful, natural solution. In this guide, we explore its history, health benefits, and how we incorporate this remarkable herb into our Lemon Verbena Tisanes.
What is Lemon Verbena?
Lemon verbena is a fragrant herb known for its refreshing citrus aroma and its use in teas and tisanes. This plant, native to South America, has been cherished for centuries for its calming and digestive properties. Its aromatic leaves are often used to create soothing herbal infusions, perfect for relaxing after a meal or as a refreshing palate cleanser.
The History of Lemon Verbena Origin
Lemon verbena, Latin name Aloysia Citrodora, is a woody shrub that originally hails from South America, where it grows up to three metres tall. The plant is also known as lemon beebrush due to the popularity of its lilac flowers with bees. The leaves emit a wonderfully lemony aroma when bruised, hence the Latin epithet citrodora, meaning lemon scented.
Lemon Verbena Tea Health Benefits
Lemon verbena has likely been used for millennia and has a long history of use in traditional medicine, possibly originating with the Incas. It was first brought to Europe by Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the 17th century and was cultivated for its lemon-scented essential oil. It is still cultivated for its oil but is also popular as a healthy and refreshing tisane.
It is thought that the Incas discovered the many health benefits of lemon verbena, and many of these traditional uses and benefits have since been validated through studies.
1. Antioxidant-Rich
It contains high levels of polyphenols that are antioxidant-rich, known to reduce the damage done by free radicals in the body.
2. Boosts Immunity
It boosts immunity and is also an appetite suppressant, stopping us from feeling hungry between meals, as well as helping to burn fat and regulate metabolism.
3. Improves Mood
One of lemon verbena’s most easily perceived benefits is the positive effect on our mood.
4. Calming and Relaxing Effect
Taking the time for a hot drink is a relaxing and indulgent experience, and even more so with lemon verbena as studies have shown that it has a calming effect that reduces stress and anxiety, and studies have shown evidence that consumption of this caffeine free tisane before bed improves sleep.
5. Supports Digestion
When combined with its natural properties that aid digestion, it makes this the perfect after-dinner drink.
How We Use Lemon Verbena in Our Tisanes
We use premium leaves for our Verbena tisane, carefully dried before being preserved for freshness – and that’s it. The resulting brew is a pale green-yellow cup with a heady aroma of lemon, eucalyptus, and a hint of mint. The taste is sweet and clean with a refreshing finish. Why not try it as an iced tea on a hot day for a healthy and cooling drink?
