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Dain Smith requested information about lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus).
Reply from Don Kasarda, Albany, CA
As far as we know, the proteins harmful in celiac disease are expressed only
in the grain of certain grasses, wheat being the primary one, so stalks and
leaves in themselves are not likely to be harmful unless contaminated with
seeds or grain or exudates from seeds or grain (as in pressing). According
to the Manual of Grasses of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchock, 2nd
ed., U. S. Government Printing Office, 1950), lemon grass falls in Tribe 13,
Andropoganeae. For comparison, in this particular taxonomy, wheat, barley,
and rye fall in Tribe 3, oats in Tribe 4, rice in Tribe 9, and maize (corn)
in Tribe 14. I interpret this as indicating that lemon grass is much more
closely related to corn than to wheat and even the seeds (grain) are not
likely to be harmful.
This is not medical advice and I know of no scientific testing of lemon
grass in regard to its potential toxicity in celiac disease.
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