Lemon Balm
Lemon balm smells like someone zested a lemon into a bouquet of mint, and bees are obsessed with it. A member of the mint family, it's a classic nervine, traditionally used to support a calm, uplifted mood and a relaxed nervous system. Herbalists also value it as a carminative, a herb that supports easy digestion and helps settle a tense, knotted belly. It's the friend who walks in and the whole room exhales.
Find it in:
- Botanical nameMelissa officinalis
- Plant familyLamiaceae (mint family)
- Also calledMelissa, balm, sweet balm
- Part usedDried leaf
- TasteBright, lemony and softly minty
- CaffeineNone
Traditional Uses & Folklore
The honeybee herb
Melissa is Greek for honeybee. Ancient Greek and Roman writers noticed that bees adore the plant, and beekeepers rubbed the leaves on hives to welcome new swarms. It became a symbol of sweetness and good company in the garden.
A cordial for the spirits
In the medieval Islamic world, the physician Avicenna wrote that lemon balm "makes the heart merry." Centuries later in Europe, the Renaissance physician Paracelsus prized it, and Carmelite nuns in 17th-century Paris distilled it into Eau de Carmes, or Carmelite water, a famous cordial for low spirits and nervous tension.
A garden of good moods
Across European folk herbalism, lemon balm was planted near the kitchen door and brewed after long days. It was the go-to for a restless mind, a tense belly or a heavy heart. It's gentle enough that it was often given to children, too.
The scienceWhat Modern Research Is Exploring
Lemon balm has a small but interesting body of human research, mostly using concentrated extracts. Here's what researchers are looking at:
- Calm and focus. Small human studies have looked at how single doses of lemon balm extract affect mood, calmness and attention.
- Sleep. Lemon balm is often studied alongside valerian for restless nights, with encouraging early results.
- Digestion. It's been studied, usually in combination with other herbs, for its traditional role in settling an uneasy stomach.
We share this to show where the conversation is going, not to make promises. Herbalism is slow medicine, built on ritual, consistency, and how a plant feels in your own body.
From Tea LadyWhy Lemon Balm Is in Our Blends
Lemon balm is our mood-lifter. It brings brightness to Ovulation Phase Tea, softness to Moon Phase Tea and calm to Happy Gut Tea. It also adds a sunny lift to Glow Up Tea and Steep My Sunshine Tea. When a blend needs to feel like a deep exhale, lemon balm gets the call.
Sip mindfullySafety & Who Should Check First
Lemon balm is generally considered very gentle in tea-sized amounts. Please check with your healthcare provider before drinking it if you:
- are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding
- take thyroid medication or have a thyroid condition
- take sedatives or sleep medication (lemon balm may add to their relaxing effect)
- have a surgery coming up (pause herbal teas about two weeks before)
Sources & Further Reading
- Shakeri A, Sahebkar A, Javadi B. "Melissa officinalis L. – A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology." Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2016; 188: 204–228.
- Kennedy DO, Wake G, Savelev S, et al. "Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of single doses of Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) with human CNS nicotinic and muscarinic receptor-binding properties." Neuropsychopharmacology, 2003; 28(10): 1871–1881.