Who knew you could make a delicious, refreshing drink from fever grass? That’s right; this juice is made from fever grass! This Fever grass goddess juice has a refreshing citrus-like flavor, a subtly sweet coconut flavor, and only has 72 calories per serving!
When I returned from college, I noticed that my mom had planted a few fever grass plants in the backyard. Instantly, the wheels in my head began turning, and I started thinking of ways I could use fever grass.
A few weeks later, I received jelly coconuts (young green coconuts) from my dad. I used the coconuts to make coconut jelly bread and coconut jelly ice cream.
Eventually, the idea to make fever grass goddess juice came to me, so I started crafting a recipe.
Like the mango bread pudding, this fever grass goddess juice did not turn out as I expected. My experiment turned out tastier than I expected. However, before we get to the fever grass goddess juice recipe, let’s discuss what fever grass is.
What Is Fever Grass
Most people mistake fever grass for a weed. However, fever grass is a unique plant species with many benefits. Lemon grass, more commonly known to folks in the Caribbean as fever grass, is a plant belonging to the Poaceae grass species.
Fever grass has a bold lemon flavor and citrus fragrance. It is most often used to make fever grass tea in the Caribbean. However, fever grass is also used heavily in Asian cuisine as an ingredient in savory dishes like chicken or fish.
Why Is Lemon Grass Called Fever Grass
Lemon grass is called fever grass because it was used to cure fevers. Hence the name ‘fever’ grass. It’s what we like to call bush medicine here in the Bahamas.
Is Lemon Grass High In Carbs
Lemon grass is not high in carbs; it is low in carbs. One cup of lemon grass has 7 calories and 1.7 grams of carbs. Therefore, lemongrass is keto-friendly, making this fever grass goddess juice a delicious keto delight.
What Is Fever Grass Good For
Fever grass has been coveted for its medicinal benefits for many years. Lemon grass stems contain phenolic compounds, which are known for their antioxidant activity. Fever grass also has antifungal properties and is an ingredient used in mental illness medications. When mixed with other herbs, fever grass can be used to treat malaria.
Fever grass is also beneficial for stomach disorders. Lemon grass essential oils have antimicrobial and antibacterial components which help fight infections associated with pathogens like Helicobacter pylori and Escherichia coli.
Lemon grass can also treat ringworms, urinary tract infections, athlete’s foot, sores, and scabies. Furthermore, studies have shown lemon grass to have curative effects on dermatological conditions like yeast infections by preventing the growth of pathogens.
Tips For Making Bahamian Fever Grass Goddess Juice
You may need more or less sweetener. It depends on the level of sweetness you desire, as well as the type of sweetener you use. I used 2 cups of Swerve granular sugar-free sweetener.
Strain the blended fever grass mixture before you mix it with the remaining ingredients. Fever grass has tough fibers, which can end up in the juice.
I used a smaller blender, but it still packs some power, and I ended up with pieces of fever grass in the juice. Luckily I did not mix it with the remaining ingredients, so I was able to remove them.
Nevertheless, even if you use a high-quality blender, there may still be pieces of fever grass. Therefore you should sieve it. The sieve may not remove all of the fever grass fibers, but it will eliminate any large chunks of fever grass.
I used fresh coconut water that I got from jelly coconuts. Fresh coconut water is best. However, you can use canned coconut water or omit the coconut water and use 8 cups of water instead of 4.
If you are not serving the fever grass goddess juice immediately, do not add ice to the juice. The ice will water down the fever grass juice.
Simply cover the fever grass juice with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge until you are ready to serve it. When you are ready to serve the fever grass goddess juice, serve it over a glass of ice.
The fever grass goddess juice can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
References:
AIP Conference Proceedings 1927, 030007 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5021200 Published Online: 09 February 2018
Toungos, M. D. (2019). Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon, L Spreng ) Valuable Grass But Underutilized In Northern Nigeria. International Journal of Innovative Food, Nutrition & Sustainable Agriculture 7(2):6-14. https://seahipaj.org/journals-ci/june-2021/IJIFNSA/full/IJIFNSA-J-2-2021.pdf