We never cease to be in awe of the amazing resources provided by this wonderful and abundant planet. As with most herbs, the uses for lemon balm plant are many and varied, and very much worth getting to know.

Botanically known as Melissa officinalis L, this perennial herb with the wonderful lemony scent is named after the bees that love it. Melissa, is from the Greek words for bee, which is also derived from the Greek word for honey.

What to Do With Lemon Balm?

So your lemon balm is thriving, (er… taking over)… and you’re wondering what are some of the additional uses for lemon balm that you can try…? That’s what got us started on this wonderful lemony journey of discover with Melissa officinali L.

We’re growing Melissa Officinalis L., in four large pots, because — like other plants in the mint family — it spreads abundantly! Our uses for lemon balm currently include for cooking, salads, garnish, dried for tea, or crushed fresh into water.

But we also wanted to expand our use of this unpretentious mint in more ways. It’s not fussy, loves to grow and puts out loads of bushy leaves full of beneficial oils and nutrients. As an edible herb, lemon balm has a subtle minty herbal lemon herbal flavor good for many culinary uses.

How is Lemon Balm Used?

Lemon balm is often used fresh, dried and as tincture, oil, salves and creams. If you don’t have time to make something with fresh lemon balm at any point in your garden harvesting processes, you can always dry it for greater longevity and later determination of usage.

Lemon Balm Forms

• lemon balm extract
• fresh lemon balm
• dried lemon balm
• powdered lemon balm

Uses for Lemon Balm

• COSMETICS –
  • candles
  • cream
  • lotion
  • oil –
    • body oil
    • essential oil
  • soap
• CULINARY –
  • edible oil
  • fresh leaves
• HEALTH –
  • capsules
  • salve
  • tea
  • tincture

Abundance in Nature is Often a Clue

Abundant and prolific plants, especially those growing in the wild like dandelion, are often called weeds. Yet these tenacious plants, determined to grow no matter what, are often Mother Nature’s way of showing us which plants are beneficial for many things.

She puts the most potent plants right in front of us, often underfoot and to the point of annoyance for many, such as beneficial weeds like the mighty dandelion with many benefits.

In this age of massive and rapid content creation and proliferation, it’s easy to find lots of great information, as well as lots of misinformation. And sometimes it can be hard to know the difference.

While we value the centuries old indigenous and tribal traditional uses of plant medicine, we also like to peruse the scientific research that works to explain and verify some of the amazing properties and uses.

So let’s dig into that here with you to discover more of some of the proven lemon balm benefits for health and wellness, as well as some of the traditional uses of lore.

Culinary Uses for Lemon Balm Plant

Culinary uses for lemon balm includes infused vinegars, fresh leaves in salads and cooking, as well as baked goods and beverages, including cordials and champagne.

Beverages to Make With Lemon Balm

• Cocktails
• Tea –
  • fresh lemon balm tea
  • dried lemon balm leaves
  • hot or cold herbal tea and tea blends
  • add to black tea with stevia for sweet, minty lemon flavored tea
• Water, such as cucumber water with lemon balm

Cocktails to Make With Lemon Balm

• Benedictine
• Champagne
• Chartreuse
• Cordial
• Liqueur – Infuse into vodka for no more than 3 days. Strain. Blend with cordial/syrup/shrub to taste
• Oxymel – mixing lemon balm vinegar with honey to make an oxymel
• Shrub – Mix your lemon balm vinegar with your lemon balm cordial or syrup, to make a shrub. These are great for giving gentle acidity and structure to cocktails.

REFERENCES: Mark Williams of GallowayWildfoods.com^[1]https://gallowaywildfoods.com/lemon-balm-identification-edibility-distribution-ecology/

Condiments to Make With Lemon Balm

• Jelly – you can create the lemon balm jelly using homemade lemon balm syrup or cordial
• Oil – infuse chopped fresh lemon balm in a jar covered in olive oil and steep for a week before straining
• Salad dressings – using lemon balm oil and/or vinegar
• Syrup – infuse into a 1:1 sugar:water syrup by gently heating. Cool in sterilized jars. Pour on puddings. A great cocktail ingredient.
• Vinegar – All mints infuse beautifully with cold apple cider vinegar. Infuse leaves for a week, strain and use in salad dressings

Cooking With Lemon Balm

You can use lemon balm leaves in cooked and fresh foods for a touch of fresh herbal lemon flavor and in any recipe calling for lemon zest (lemon peel).

• Beans
• Bread
• Cookies
• Curries
• Soups
• Stir fry
• Thai food

Fresh Lemon Balm Culinary Uses

• Infused oil
• Pesto – substitute lemon balm in this parsley pesto recipe
• Salads – toss a handful of lemon balm leaves into various salads
• Sandwiches – layer lemon balm leaves on favorite summer sandwiches, such as this grilled summer squash sandwich
• Vinaigrette – infuse vinegar with fresh lemon balm leaves

Garden Uses for Lemon Balm

Deer Repellent Plant

Lemon balm is one of many deer resistant plants. So if you have a deer problem, consider placing pots of lemon balm around your garden, and especially close to plants deer like to munch on.

So if you’re growing okra, hostas, sunchokes, and other deer favorites, place lemon balm pots in and around them. For more, here’s an article on best deer deterrents, and another on perennial deer resistant flowers.

Insect Repellent

The citronella in lemon balm plants tend to repel mosquitoes and gnats when the crushed fresh leaves are rubbed directly on the skin.

Homemade Insect Repellent Spray

Alternately, you can also make homemade bug sprays from an infusion of lemon balm leaves. Add in a few other herbs for good measure, such as catnip and rosemary, or other favorites. Steep in a jar covered in witch hazel for a couple weeks. Than strain and fill a spray bottle halfway with the strained lemon balm brew. Add a few drops of lemon balm (or other) essential oil for added strength, then top with water.

Refrigerate when not in use, and it should keep for a week or two.

Pollinators Love Lemon Balm Flowers

Bees love lemon balm flowers. In fact, while it’s best to harvest lemon balm leaves before flowering, we let some of our plants go to flower for the bees.

SEE: Flowers for pollinators.

Weed Control

In agriculture, lemon balm is an allelopathic plant where lemon balm essential oil was studied for use in treatments of weeds that impact crops. More studies are needed, but results show promise.

Allelopathy, is the direct or indirect positive or negative effect of one species by another, and in plants, and is often used for weed control. ^[2] … Continue reading

Proven Medicinal Uses for Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is an herbal medicine with many proven health benefits in both traditional medicine and modern remedies.

Lemon balm’s sunny disposition is not its only attribute. People have been growing lemon balm for centuries to take advantage of the many uses of this popular herb.

FIRST: Beware of These Possible Lemon Balm Side Effects

IMPORTANT: Long term habitual use is not recommended, and anyone on thyroid medication, or suffering from thyroid or goiter issues, should avoid unless cleared and advised by your medical service provider. Always consult appropriate health professionals and discontinue use should you experience any adverse effects.^[3]https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-health-benefits-of-lemon-balm-89388

Proven Health Benefits of Lemon Balm

• Alzheimer’s – Parts used: leaves & seeds^[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6885391/#B26
• Antibacterial – kills bacterial and is an action of the eugenol^[5]https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/lemon-balm
• Anti-inflammatory – an action of the rosmarinic acid^[6]https://www.drugs.com/npp/lemon-balm.html
• Antimicrobial – inhibits or kills bacteria^[7]https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/lemon-balm
• Antioxidant – with many health benefits^[8]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8073307/#B8-molecules-26-02369
• Antiparasitic^[9]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871149/
• Antispasmodic^[10]https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/lemon-balm-uses
• Antiviral^[11]https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/lemon-balm
• Anxiety – dried leaves for tea or extract in water or tincture.^[12]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245564/
• Calming & Relaxation – lemon balm extract in tea or yogurt, such as a lemon balm lassi with honey, yogurt and water.^[13]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245564/
• Cognitive function – lemon balm extract in water as tea, an optional sweetener, such as stevia or a splash of fresh fruit juice.^[14]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245564/^[15]https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/lemon-balm
• Digestive relief – mild relaxant benefits toward mitigating gas and bloating.^[16]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6653806/
• Headaches – most research mentioning lemon balm for headache relief is attributed to the anti-stress uses for lemon balm^[17]https://www.healthline.com/health/lemon-balm-uses#headache
• Herpes / cold sores – lemon balm extracts, essential oils and products containing these.^[18]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18693101/^[19]https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/lemon-balm
• Menstrual pain – Melissa officinalis reduces the severity of all the symptoms associated with painful menstruation.^[20]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6447884/
• Skin Damage – age and UVB-induced skin damage are improved using lemon balm extract and products containing it.^[21]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27528586/
• Sleep aid – Especially helpful for stress and anxiety related insomnia.^[22]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230760/
• Stress relief – Study show lemon balm extract administered in beverages or yogurt to remediate stress. It’s also beneficial as tincture taken directly (according to instructions on label or by health practitioner, as well as a tea made from fresh or dried leaves. ^[23]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245564/

I can personally attest to the benefits of lemon balm and have used many times over the years to help remediate a difficulty sleeping.

Some of Lemon Balm Medicinal Properties Include:

• Eugenol, which calms muscle spasms, numbs tissues, and kills bacteria
• Flavonoids
• Gallic acid
• Phenolic properties
• Rosmarinic acid – reduces inflammation
• Tannins (may be responsible for antiviral effects)

Traditional Medicinal Uses for Lemon Balm in Folk Medicine

Iranian Folk Medicine Uses for Lemon Balm

• Analgesic
• Antispasmodic
• Digestive aid / gastrointestinal disorders
• Diuretic properties
• Carminative (gas relief)
• Sedative
• Tonic as well as for functional

REFERENCE: Melissa officinalis L: A Review Study With an Antioxidant Prospective

With all these wonderful benefits, if you’re not already growing it, you’ll probably want to, and you can find info on growing lemon balm here.

Gastrointestinal Relief

Lemon balm has gastrointestinal benefits as well. When taken, it relieves cramps from gas, indigestion, upset stomach, and nausea. Women can find relief for menstrual cramps, as well as the emotional and hormonal impact of PMS.

This herb has also been shown to increase mental clarity if taken regularly, giving a sense of energized well being. Lemon balm is known to perk you up and chill you out simultaneously. In the practice of aromatherapy, lemon balm essential oils are used to energize and relax the mind and body.

You may also enjoy best herbs for stress reduction.

Lemon balm essential oil is similar to lavender essential oil in its ability to invoke emotional calm and reduce stress.

Skin Solutions and Uses for Lemon Balm

Lemon balm oils, creams and lotions are beneficial for:

• Protection against harmful UVA-UVB rays that induce skin damages
• Balancing production of natural oils
• Soothes
• Improves skin conditions, such as:
  • acne
  • astringent
  • eczema
  • minor wounds
  • sunburn

Stress Reduction

Traditional medicinal use of lemon balm include relief for stress, anxiety, and the headaches that can occur with these conditions. Taken as tinctures, teas and aromatherapy, lemon balm helps to quiet the mind and become refocused, while relaxing tight muscles, all of which leads to diminished feelings of stress.

After a long day, a nighttime ritual of lemon balm tea will promote healthy, restful sleep with a refreshed feeling of well-being upon awakening.  Those suffering from insomnia would benefit from lemon balm’s ability to bring about restful slumber.

For an easy daily dose of fresh lemon balm, try this easy and refreshing cucumber water.

We’d love to hear your favorite uses for lemon balm.

In studies, lemon balm oil exhibited a higher degree of antibacterial activity than lavender oil against gram-positive strains of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus.

REFERENCE: PubMed study 20201279^[24]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20201279/

You can find more on gram-positive bacteria (mentioned above) here.^[25]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470553/^[26]https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/bacterial-infections-gram-positive-bacteria/overview-of-gram-positive-bacteria

The Amazing Power of Plant Medicine

All herbs are beneficial in a variety of ways. Herbs are like nature’s potent little supplements, which when used on a daily basis, accrue multiple benefits.

We love learning about the super powers of each plant, such as the ancestral applications as well as proven medicinal uses for lemon balm, both of which we cover in this article.

Of particular interest, is how it is that some of the most beneficial plants grow like weeds, (and are subsequently considered as such).

Weeds for Food and Medicine

Take for example, dandelion, or plantain – Plantago major. These are considered weeds and grow profusely and determinedly, wherever they can. And… they hold tremendous benefits within their leaves, and in the case of dandelion, within the roots, flowers and leaves.

Then there’s henbit and lyreleaf sage, both edible and medicinal weeds in the mint family Lamiaceae. There are so more plant wonders to discover and grow, so you may also enjoy this article on growing mint.

Mints, such as lemon balm, are wonderfully beneficial plants with many varieties, benefits and uses. And… like weeds, mints grow hardily and abundantly, and are known to take over.

However, if you put yours to good use, you will come to see its abundance as a blessing. And… there’s always pots. Growing mint in pots will help minimize the spread!

We’d love to hear your lemon balm story or experience.

May you be very well❣️🌿🌸