Recipe
Lemon myrtle tea
- Herb:
- Lemon myrtle Backhousia citriodora
- Method:
- Herbal infusion (tea)
- Plant part:
- Leaf
About 8 minBeginnerRecipe science profile
Procedure
- Crumble one dried leaf (or measure half a teaspoon of crushed leaf) into a mug.
- Pour over 250 ml of boiling water and cover — otherwise the citral escapes with the steam.
- Steep for 3–5 minutes; no longer, or the drink turns bitter with a soapy note.
- Strain; serve warm, or chilled over ice with a slice of lime. It also blends well into green tea.
Extraction
- Herb:
- 1 dried leaf or half a teaspoon of crushed leaf per 250 ml
- Solvent:
- boiling water, 3–5 minutes, covered
- Shelf life:
- drink the same day; excellent chilled
- Target compounds:
- citral enters hot water only partly and quickly escapes with steam; a small amount is enough
Notes
A drink with no known particular risks in ordinary amounts. Lemon myrtle oil is almost pure citral and undiluted it irritates the skin — the tea is made from leaf, not oil. One leaf gives more than you expect.
Why it works
Citral (a mix of geranial and neral) carries the lemon scent and is released from the leaf into hot water only partly, escaping quickly — hence the lid and the short time. Southwell's review summarises composition and food safety; clinical data on health effects are lacking.
Literature
- Southwell I (2021): Backhousia citriodora F. Muell. (Lemon Myrtle), an Unrivalled Source of Citral. Foods 10(7):1596 — Review of essential oil composition and its safe use in food.
Related
Lemon myrtle — Herb card
Herbal infusion (tea) — Processing method detail