Lemon balm oil is a very easy way to obtain the benefits of lemon balm and can be made at home without any complicated equipment. It is a very popular medicinal preparation and a useful addition to any herbal cabinet. Lemon balm oil is often confused with lemon balm essential oil, but they are definitely not the same.
What is lemon balm oil good for?
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a member of the mint family, is considered a calming herb. It was used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion (including gas and bloating, as well as colic).
What can I do with fresh lemon balm?
12+ Things to Do With Lemon Balm:
- Make a sleepy time herbal syrup:
- Make a lemon balm bug spray:
- Chop fresh leaves and sprinkle on salads or in baked goods:
- Make a lip balm for cold sores:
- Make a glycerite:
- Make a relaxing, tummy soothing tea:
- Make lemon balm soap:
- Make a simple remedy for bug bites & acne:
How do I make lemon balm extract?
Instructions
- Place the chopped leaves into a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.
- Pour vodka over the lemon balm, making sure to submerge the leaves.
- Put the lid on the jar.
- Give the jar a gentle shake.
- Place jar in a dark cabinet and let infuse for 4 weeks – longer is okay.
- Strain the leaves from the vodka.
Is lemon balm an essential oil?
Organic lemon balm essential oil is steam distilled from the flowering plant Melissa officinalis. Also known as Melissa, lemon balm oil is a middle note with a fresh and green citrus aroma.
Is lemon balm psychoactive?
These psychoactive properties, along with lemon balm’s safety profile over a wide dose range, may provide a unique pharmacological alternative for specific psychiatric disorders.
What does lemon balm do to the brain?
Lemon balm significantly reduces excitatory transmission in the brain by inhibiting an enzyme called GABA-T that breaks down GABA, thus increasing the amount of GABA available in the brain.
How do you preserve fresh lemon balm?
To store your lemon balm, keep the leaves and stems in big pieces to retain as much flavor as possible. Store your herbs in paper bags or glass jars (avoid plastic bags as they may lead to condensation).
Can you eat lemon balm raw?
You can certainly enjoy lemon balm fresh on salads, or in your favorite recipes, too. Be brave! Experiment with its bright flavor.
How do I dry lemon balm without a dehydrator?
To air-dry lemon balm plant, gather 5-6 stems together and tie them up around the stem with a piece of string. To allow for good air circulation, do not tie too many stems together. Hang your bunches of lemon balm in a cool dry and dark spot in your house.
Can you distill lemon balm?
The steam distillation of lemon balm is usually done at the industrial level due to the amount of leaves and flowers needed to obtain the essential oil. If you manage to get the proper equipment, it can be done at home.
What can you do with dried lemon balm?
Use lemon balm in place of lemon peel in recipes and to flavor soups, sauces, vinegars and seafood. Or add it to your favorite sugar cookie dough for a delicious lemony tea cookie.
How do you make lemon balm extract without alcohol?
An easier, alternative method of extracting lemon balm’s benefits consists of just covering the herbal material with a mixture of water and at least 55% of glycerin, combining very well, putting on a lid, and letting it macerate in a dark, cool place for a period of four to six weeks.
Is lemon balm anti-inflammatory?
The use of herbs to relieve pain has a long history in the world of medicine. The fact that the essential oil of lemon balm has anti-inflammatory properties supports the traditional use of this herb in the treatment of numerous diseases associated with inflammation or pain (Bounihi et al., 2013).
Can you drink lemon balm tea everyday?
While more studies are needed to determine how lemon balm tea may help individuals, it does appear that the tea is safe for most people to consume. A person should consult their doctor if they have an underlying condition, such as a thyroid issue, before regularly consuming lemon balm tea.
Is lemon balm good for skin?
Lemon balm is also a popular natural treatment for several common skin conditions. As an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent, it helps to reduce the swelling and reddening of the skin that is common in conditions including acne, shingles, chicken pox, eczema and psoriasis.
Can I smoke lemon balm?
If you were just looking to know if lemon balm is smokable, the simple answer is yes, but if you were looking at a therapeutic herb then you should know by now that no study suggests that lemon balm can provide any benefit to your body or mind when smoked.
Is lemon balm an antidepressant?
Based on meta-analysis results, lemon balm significantly improved mean anxiety and depression scores compared with the placebo (SMD: -0.98; 95% CI: -1.63 to -0.33; p = 0.003), (SMD: -0.47; 95% CI: -0.73 to -0.21; p = 0.0005) respectively, without serious side effects.
What is the best herb for anxiety?
Is there an effective herbal treatment for anxiety?
- Kava.
- Passion flower.
- Valerian.
- Chamomile.
- Lavender.
- Lemon balm.
Is lemon balm good for dementia?
Lemon balm, a well-known vegetable and medicinal plant from Lamiaceae, has been traditionally used to cure dementia and amnesia (86). Ethanol extract of lemon balm exhibited AChE inhibitory activity (87) with a potency of 1.72±0.16 μg equivalents of physostigmine/mg of the extract.
How do you use lemon balm for depression?
How to Use Lemon Balm for Anxiety, Depression, and Other Symptoms. Fresh lemon balm leaves may be made into a tea, consumed several times daily. You may also try a supplement with dosage of about 300 to 600 mg daily to help promote sleep and decrease anxiety.