As a general rule of thumb, treat lemon balm as you would any other fresh herb. It works especially well in place of mint, offering bright, fragrant notes. Add whole lemon balm leaves to green salads, or chiffonade the leaves and scatter them over a fruit salad for added zesty flavor.
Can I eat raw lemon balm?
You can certainly enjoy lemon balm fresh on salads, or in your favorite recipes, too. Be brave! Experiment with its bright flavor.
Is fresh lemon balm good for you?
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:
What is the best way to ingest lemon balm?
The easiest way to take advantage of the anxiety reducing and insomnia busting power of lemon balm is by drinking a simple cup of tea. A simple lemon balm tea recipe can use fresh or dried leaves. Simply pour 8 ounces of boiling water over 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh leaves (or 1 Tablespoon of dried leaves).
Can you drink lemon balm?
Summary. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is an herb in the mint family. It can be consumed as tea, taken as a supplement or extract, or rubbed on the skin in balms and lotions.
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 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.
Is lemon balm good for your liver?
Lemon balm and its major constituent, rosmarinic acid (RA), effectively improve the liver injury and obesity; however, their therapeutic effects on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are unknown.
Is lemon balm antibacterial?
Among these products, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant and used for the treatment of headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, nervousness, and rheumatism. It is an antibacterial and antifungal agent.
How do you harvest and use lemon balm?
You can harvest small amounts of lemon balm for use throughout its growing season by snapping off a few leaves at a time. For a bigger harvest, use shears to snip leaves from the center stem, in between side shoots, to continue encouraging bushy, full growth.
Is lemon balm good for sleep?
4. It can help ease insomnia and other sleep disorders. Combining lemon balm with valerian may help relieve restlessness and sleep disorders such as insomnia. Researchers in one 2006 study found that children who took a combined dose experienced a 70 to 80 percent improvement in symptoms.
What does lemon balm taste like?
As part of the mint plant family, lemon balm leaves have a lemony scent and taste pleasantly mild, with subtle citrus notes.
Is lemon balm healthy?
Studies have shown that the herb is a potential treatment for many issues, from anxiety to menstrual symptoms. If you need to relieve stress, lemon balm can help lower anxiety and nervousness. Some research has shown that lemon balm extract can improve one’s mood and attention.
How does lemon balm affect the thyroid?
Test tube studies have found that lemon balm blocks attachment of antibodies to the thyroid cells that cause Grave’s disease (hyperthyroidism). The brain’s signal to the thyroid (thyroid-stimulating hormone or TSH) is also blocked from further stimulating the excessively active thyroid gland in this disease.
Does lemon balm lower blood pressure?
In this study in people with essential hypertension, supplementation with lemon balm extract led to a reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This Study Summary was published on January 4, 2022.
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 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.
Does lemon balm lower heart rate?
Results: The extract (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) significantly reduced the heart rate (264 ± 5, 259 ± 5 and 281 ± 3 versus 377 ± 13 in control group, p < 0.01).
Is there caffeine in lemon balm?
Examples of popular herbal teas that are 100% caffeine free include: Chamomile. Mint (including peppermint and spearmint) Lemon balm.
Is lemon balm an antiviral?
Lemon balm, with its antiviral properties, appears to speed the healing of cold sores and reduce symptoms when applied topically as a cream. has antiviral properties. A cream containing an extract of lemon balm has been shown in double-blind trials to speed the healing of cold sores.