Lemon Balm Tea – Nutritional Value, Health Benefits, Recipes

Lemon balm Tea (Melissa officinalis) is a lemon-scented herb that comes from the same family as mint. The herb is native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, but it’s grown around the world. Lemon balm has traditionally been used to improve mood and cognitive function, but the potential benefits don’t stop there. Read on to learn more about this plant’s possible healing powers.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mint family and native to south-central Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, Iran, and Central Asia, but now naturalized elsewhere.

It grows to a maximum height of 100 cm (39 in). The leaves have a mild lemon scent. During summer, small white flowers full of nectar appear. It is not to be confused with bee balm (genus Monarda), although the white flowers attract bees, hence the genus Melissa (Greek for “honey bee”).

The leaves are used as a herb, in teas, and also as a flavoring. The plant is used to attract bees for honey production. It is grown as an ornamental plant and for its oil (to use in perfumery). The tea of lemon balm, the essential oil, and the extract is used in traditional and alternative medicine, including aromatherapy. Lemon balm has been cultivated at least since the 16th century. Modern research is being conducted to establish the safety and effects of the plant on humans.

Some of the most notable benefits of lemon balm tea include soothing the digestive tracts, treating sleep disorders, stimulating cognitive disorders, boosting the immune system, detoxifying the body, breaking fevers, eliminating anxiety, and soothing menstrual symptoms, among others. In terms of side effects, drinking lemon balm tea has rarely been reported to have negative effects, although occasional nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and dizziness can occur. However, the severe toxicity of lemon balm tea has never been reported.

What Is Lemon Balm Tea?

This healthy tea is derived from the leaves of the lemon balm plant, scientifically known as Melissa Officinalis,  ^[rx]which is a member of the mint family. It is widely available and inexpensive, and can also be grown rather easily in a home garden. Praised for its relaxing and sedative qualities, lemon balm tea has been a part of traditional healing practices for centuries. The wide range of health benefits is largely the result of the active compounds found in lemon balm, including tannins, flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, citronellal, eugenol, and other polyphenolic compounds, as well as copper, manganese, zinc and various essential vitamins.

Health Benefits of Lemon Balm Tea

You should drink lemon balm tea if you suffer from anxiety, insomnia, cold, cough, flu, respiratory infection, dementia, fever, painful menstrual cramps, herpes, bloating, flatulence, headaches, high blood pressure, and insect bites.

• Anxiolytic Properties – One of the most popular and common uses of lemon balm tea is for people suffering from anxiety. Excess stress hormones in the body can result in several problems, including higher levels of oxidative stress, the strain on the metabolism, and poor heart health. The calming properties of the antioxidants and volatile compounds in this tea can have a nervine effect and reduce symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. ^[rx]
• Inflammation – Inflammatory conditions come in many varieties, ranging from arthritis and joint disorders to indigestion, allergic reactions, and headaches. Lemon balm has several proven anti-inflammatory compounds that can quickly reduce or eliminate these conditions when used regularly. ^[rx]
• Gastrointestinal Distress – Soothing the stomach is another popular use of lemon balm tea, so if you regularly suffer from indigestion, excess flatulence, constipation, acid reflux disease, cramping or bloating, having a relaxing cup of this tea every day can optimize your digestion and ensure proper nutrient uptake. ^[rx]
• Immune System – There are antibacterial and antiseptic properties of this tea that make it an effective weapon against a variety of colds, flu, and infections. Aside from the antioxidant effects, this tea can also help promote the production of white blood cells and eliminate mucus and phlegm, which is where many pathogens like to hide and thrive. ^[rx]
• Menstrual Cramps – This tea is one of the oldest and most trusted remedies for painful menstrual cramps. The sedative and analgesic properties, combined with some anti-spasmodic effects, can soothe the discomfort of painful periods, and also relieve the anxiety or mood fluctuations that often accompany menstruation. ^[rx]
• Cognitive Boost – Lemon balm tea can help to improve cognitive function and sharpen memory. Although lemon balm is commonly used as an aromatherapy tool, drinking tea also delivers beneficial antioxidants that can prevent plaque deposition in the neural pathways.
• Herpes – Numerous studies have linked the flavonoids and phenolic compounds in lemon balm tea to a reduction in the herpes simplex virus. Lemon balm can be topically applied, but the immune system boost gained from the tea can also help clear up this sexually transmitted disease. ^[rx]
• Heart Health – The sedative nature of this herbal tea also helps to suppress blood pressure, making it an ideal relaxing brew for people who suffer from hypertension. This can help lower the chances of developing atherosclerosis, as well as experiencing heart attacks and strokes. If you are already taking blood pressure medication, be sure to speak to your doctor before adding lemon balm tea to your diet, as there could be negative interactions. ^[rx]
• It may help treat cold sores – You can even apply lemon balm topically at the first sign of a cold sore. Participants in a 1999 study applied either a lemon balm or placebo cream on the affected area four times per day for five days. The researchers found that the participants who used the lemon balm cream experienced fewer symptoms and healed faster than those who didn’t.The researchers also suggested that using lemon balm cream may help prolong the intervals between cold sore outbreaks. Further studies are needed to expand on these findings.

Additional health Benefits

How Do You Make Lemon Balm Tea?

You can make lemon balm tea at home with this very simple recipe, provided you have fresh or dried lemon balm, water, and some honey or sugar to add sweetness. If you grow lemon balm at home and wish to dry a larger amount for future use, simply cut the stems from the lemon balm plant and gather them in bunches. Tie them at the base and hang them upside down in a cool, dark, and dry place. After 1-2 weeks, the herbs should be fully dried and you can easily separate them from the stems. Place the leaves in a bag and crumble them, separating any stem parts that remain. Store that bag in a cool, dark place until you are ready to use them. If making tea with fresh leaves, you can leave them whole or cut them to release more of the beneficial oils.

Lemon Balm Tea Side Effects

Side effects of drinking this herbal tea are very rare, and research has also been notably limited on the effects of this herb when used for extended periods. First and foremost, if you are allergic to other plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, the use of lemon balm may not be wise, as the allergic reaction can be severe.

• Stomach Upset – Although this is rare, one of the most common side effects of drinking lemon balm tea is stomach upset, nausea, and possibly vomiting. This is often experienced by people who consume an excessive amount; the potent active compounds are very beneficial, but only in moderation.
• Dizziness – Some people have reported dizziness or excessive drowsiness when consuming very strong lemon balm tea. Discontinue the use of the tea immediately if you experience these side effects.
• Surgery – Due to the sedative nature of lemon balm tea, it should not be drunk before undergoing surgery, as it can interact negatively with the anesthesia.
• Pregnancy – There is no firm research on the use of this tea during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so it is not recommended for pregnant women. There isn’t enough reliable information to know if the lemon balm is safe to use when pregnant or breastfeeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
• Children – Although most herbal teas are recommended only for adults, lemon balm tea has been approved for use in children in small doses, and for limited times. Lemon balm is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken appropriately by mouth for about one month.
• Surgery – Lemon balm might cause too much drowsiness if combined with medications used during and after surgery. Stop using lemon balm at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
• Thyroid disease – There is a concern that lemon balm may change thyroid function, reduce thyroid hormone levels, and interfere with thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Avoid lemon balm if you have thyroid disease.

Drug Interactions

Lemon balm may cause sedation.13 This is especially true if it’s used along with alcohol, over-the-counter sleep medications, or prescription sedatives like Klonopin (clonazepam), Ativan (lorazepam), Donnatol (phenobarbital), and Ambien (zolpidem).

Lemon balm may interact with other drugs, including:

• Thyroid medications like Synthroid (levothyroxine)14
• Blood thinners like Coumadin (warfarin) or Plavix (clopidogrel)
• Glaucoma medications like Travatan (travoprost)15
• Chemotherapy drugs like tamoxifen and Camptosar (irinotecan)

In some cases, the drug doses may need to be separated by several hours to avoid interactions. In others, a dose reduction or change of medication may be needed.

Dosage and Preparation of Lemon Balm

Lemon balm supplements are available in capsule, tablet, powder, and tincture forms. Because there are so many different formulations, there are no set doses or standard courses of treatments.

Oral capsules and tablets range in dose from 250 milligrams (mg) to 500 mg and are considered safe within this range. The dose of a tincture can vary by the concentration (strength) of the formulation. As a general rule of thumb, never take more than the recommended dosage on the product label.

Cold sore preparations containing 1% lemon balm can be applied to cold sores three to four times per day. They are said to work best when applied at the first sign of a cold sore.

From Where To Buy

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References

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