Spices and kitchen herbs · herb

Lemongrass (Mchaichai)

In the kitchen

In Kenya the fresh or dried stalks and leaves are most often steeped into mchaichai tea (chai ya mchaichai), and the bruised lower stalk flavours broths, coconut fish and chicken stews. Bash the stalk to release its aroma and remove it before serving, or grate the tender base into marinades.

Traditionally used for

Traditionally taken as a warm tea to ease digestion, bloating and stomach upset, and commonly used to help calm the nerves and settle the body before sleep. In Kenyan folk practice it is also often taken during colds, fevers and to relieve tension.

On keto

As a leafy aromatic herb and tea it is essentially carb-free, so it adds flavour to keto broths, curries and fatty meats without affecting ketosis.

Good to know. Generally safe as a culinary herb and light tea. Concentrated lemongrass essential oil should never be swallowed. It may modestly lower blood sugar and blood pressure, so use caution if you take diabetes or blood-pressure medication and monitor accordingly. Avoid large medicinal amounts in pregnancy (it may stimulate the uterus), and skip it if you have a known grass allergy; heavy long-term intake has been linked to liver and kidney strain, so keep to normal food and tea amounts.

Sources

General information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional before changing how you eat, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic or taking medication.