Recently, I looked around my yard and realized that the lemon balm we planted a few years ago keeps coming back more prolific every year. It’s such an easy herb to grow and it smells great. Sometimes when I’m out perusing the garden I will pick off a leaf, rub it between my fingers and inhale its beautiful lemony aroma. Is it weird that it makes me want to dust the house? It turns out not only does lemon balm smell good, but lemon balm’s health benefits are also incredible.
I’ve always enjoyed drinking lemon balm tea because it’s easy to make. You just put the fresh leaves in a cup and pour hot water over them. You come out with a delicious concoction, no sweetener needed. But I don’t think I fully grasped what lemon balm was doing for me until this last year.
Besides the fact that I feel very relaxed after drinking lemon balm tea, I didn’t know much about lemon balm itself. This led me to dig into this little wonder of an herb and what I came back with was for lack of a better term, shocking. Shocking, mostly because, lemon balm is a powerful and extremely accessible herb.
What is Lemon Balm
Most people know what it is even if they don’t grow it themselves. My CSA included lemon balm in our spring hauls this past season.
Lemon balm or Melissa officinalis is a lemon-scented perennial herb from the same family as mint. This relation becomes evident as lemon balm spreads much in the same way as mint does. It is native to Europe and is used medicinally, cosmetically, and in cooking. Lemon balm is often planted to attract bees which is a win-win for gardeners and the earth.
What does lemon balm look like
Lemon balm looks very similar to mint with scalloped-shaped leaves that are bright green and have tiny hairs. They are soft and fuzzy to the touch. The leaves can be dark green or yellowish depending on the soil and climate it is growing in.
Growing Lemon Balm
The first thing you should consider when growing lemon balm is that it spreads much like mint and can be invasive. To control the spread of lemon balm, you can plant it in a container. It is a perennial herb, which means that it comes back every year which is nice. It can grow up to two feet tall with yellow flower clusters that come out in the spring and summer. I will say that I have not personally seen lemon balm bloom. It is also good to note, that growing your own lemon balm carries little risk.
Lemon Balm Health Benefits
Lemon balm use dates back to the 14th century. It provides many health benefits ranging from ease of indigestion to relieving pain. Some of lemon balm’s health benefits include:
- Improves mood and boosts cognitive function
- Stress relief
- Reduces anxiety
- Can help with insomnia and other sleep disorders
- Lowers triglycerides
- Treats heart palpitations
- Treats diabetes by reducing blood sugar
- Helps with ADHD in children
- Fights cancer
- Manages overactive thyroid (Hyperthyroidism)
- Soothes constipation
- Treats cold sores (wish I knew this before now as I am prone to them). To use apply topically at the first sign of a cold sore
- Relieves indigestion (not surprising, since mint also does)
- Can help nausea
- May alleviate menstrual cramps and PMS (I’ll get back to you on that one!)
- Eases headache pain, especially when caused by stress. It opens up and relaxes tight blood vessels.
- Can lessen toothache as it targets inflammation.
- Has a calming, almost sedative effect
- May reduce the growth of some viruses- it’s naturally antibacterial
Other benefits of lemon balm
As I mentioned before, it attracts bees! Enough said.
Side effects of lemon balm
While lemon balm provides many wonderful health benefits, like anything it can have side effects. It’s always good to go slow with any new herb and consult your doctor if you have any questions regarding safety. Some of the sides effects of lemon balm are:
- Nausea- eat food when ingesting to ease stomach upset.
- Painful urination
- Increased body temperature
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Dizziness
- Wheezing
- Skin irritation
- Allergic reaction- rash
Some other things to consider are that you should avoid lemon balm if you have hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) as it has a negative effect on thyroid medication. Also, some people can have severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis (a potentially life-threatening reaction). If you are prone to this type of reaction it is best not to use lemon balm. Finally, nursing or pregnant women should not use unless okayed by your doctor.
These side effects are not typical with the consumption of lemon balm but it is always good to know the risks. It is recommended to consume less than two grams of lemon balm per day and not to take it any longer than four months at a time.
What is lemon balm used for
Lemon balm can be used in a variety of ways. Its uses range from tea to cooking it in a recipe. You can make tinctures, salves, oils, and even pesto with lemon balm.
Can you eat lemon balm leaves raw?
The short answer is yes, but I don’t recommend eating it by itself. Not that it tastes bad, but instead because of those tiny hairs on the leaves, well they can tickle your throat.
Recipes for lemon balm
There are many uses for lemon balm and simple ways you can incorporate this lovely herb into your life. Some uses include:
- Lemon balm tea- You can easily make your own tea by taking fresh lemon balm leaves either chopped or whole and adding them to hot water. Add honey or maple syrup for a little sweetness. I love using lemon balm this way because it is so relaxing. You can also make sun tea by using whole or chopped leaves, adding them to water, and setting it outside to brew on a sunny day.
- Lemon balm salve.
- Lemon balm tincture- You can make your own tincture by combining lemon balm and 80 proof alcohol (vodka is a good one). Then you let it steep for 4-6 weeks. Here is a great recipe.
- Lemon balm pesto- Vintage Kitty has a great recipe over on their page.
- Cooking with lemon balm- You can add fresh lemon balm to salads, smoothies, and other recipes that call for herbs.
Other ways to use lemon balm
If you don’t have access to fresh lemon balm you can still incorporate it into your life in other ways. There are many reputable companies that carry products that contain lemon balm.
- Lemon balm oils- It is always a good idea when purchasing oils to buy them from a reputable company. This way you can ensure the quality of the oil is top-notch. A few of these companies are dōTerra and Young Living. There are no additives in these company’s products. If you want to make your own oil with fresh lemon balm, here is a wonderful recipe.
- Lemon balm capsules- If you want an easy way to incorporate lemon balm into your day, you can get it in capsule form. A few companies I recommend are Wild Harvest and Gaia Herbs. The Gaia herbs capsules are a blend of passionflower, lemon balm, and chamomile which are all herbs used for relaxation and stress relief.
My thoughts
Lemon balm is a wonderful herb to have in your arsenal of home remedies to stress and many other ailments. It smells great and is easy to infuse in your day-to-day life. The amount of lemon balm health benefits in my opinion is reason enough to consider this extraordinary gift nature has given us.
As always, let me know what you think and if you have been using lemon balm at home. We love hearing from you!
For other great herbs or foraging ideas, check out our articles on purple dead nettle, purslane, chickweed, and dandelions.