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Herbal Tea: Lemon Verbena

Last Updated: Feb. 9, 2010

Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla) is a plant with a strong lemon scent, similar to lemon balm and lemongrass. Unrelated to lemongrass, it is only a distant relative of lemon balm, both being in different families in the order Lamiales. Lemon verbena is the most well-known of the verbenas, a family which includes a number of plants which mimic the aromas of various other plants, such as pineapple verbena (Nashia inaguensis), or Bushy Lippia (Lippia alba), a verbena native to Texas with many of the same chemical components of lemon verbena. Other verbenas are also used in herbal teas.

Lemon Verbena is frequently consumed as a tea on its own, and also blended as an ingredient in other teas, sometimes together with lemon balm and/or lemongrass. Although its aroma is in many respects similar to lemon balm and lemongrass, it nevertheless has its own distinct qualities. Lemon verbena, and other verbenas, in addition to their uses in tea, are also used to flavor a liqueur called verveine; because of this, teas sometimes reference the presence of verbena with the name "verveine".

Health Benefits & Chemical Constituents:

Lemon Verbena is commonly used in Brazilian herbal medicine.[1] It has been found to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans, a type of yeast that can sometimes cause infections in humans.[1,2] It also was found to inhibit the growth of several potentially harmful species of bacteria.[2]

One study found the three main chemical constituents to be geranial, nerol, and limonene.[2] These chemicals occur in lemongrass, lemon balm, and in lemons, although in very different proportions, which explains the similar but distinct aromas. The chemical citral, present in all three plants, has shown some promise for its potential to kill cancer cells.[3]

Examples of this style of tea: (2 including sub-styles - hide)

Page 1 of 1 page with 2 results:

	Tea:	Brand:	Region:	# Ratings:
	BH80: Lemon Verbena	Upton Tea Imports	?????	1
	Verveine - Lemon Verbena	Harney and Sons	?????	0

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