Lemon Balm – Melissa officinalis – tastes lemon tart and slightly minty. Use this Easy Lemon Balm Tea Recipe as a mood booster to help feel more cheery.
By: Kathy Sadowski, MS in Aromatherapy, Registered Aromatherapist, LMT, RYT
Easy Lemon Balm Tea Recipe Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp of fresh organically grown lemon balm leaves
- 2 cups of hot water
- Fresh squeezed lemon and honey to taste
Easy Lemon Balm Tea Recipe Instructions
Fresh leaves are much better than the dried in a tea. Pour hot water over the leaves and steep 5 minutes. Strain, add lemon and honey to taste, and smile while you sip.
Easy Lemon Balm Tea Recipe Research
- Memory and calmness were increased while alertness was reduced in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, balanced-crossover study that investigated the effect of an extract of M. officinalis on 20 participants. From: Kennedy, D. O., Scholey, A. B., Tildesley, N. T. J., Perry, E. K., & Wesnes, K. A. (2002). Modulation of mood and cognitive performance following acute administration of Melissa officinalis (lemon balm). Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 72(4), 953-964.
- Lavender and Melissa had neuronal depressant and anti-agitation activities. From: Huang, L., Abuhamdah, S., Howes, M. J. R., Dixon, C. L., Elliot, M. S., Ballard, C., … & Lees, G. (2008). Pharmacological profile of essential oils derived from Lavandula angustifolia and Melissa officinalis with anti‐agitation properties: focus on ligand‐gated channels. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 60(11), 1515-1522.
- In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, balanced crossover study of 20 healthy participants, M. officinalis helped improve cognitive performance and mood. From: Kennedy, D. O., Wake, G., Savelev, S., Tildesley, N. T. J., Perry, E. K., Wesnes, K. A., & Scholey, A. B. (2003). 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, 28(10), 1871.
- In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, balanced crossover experiment of 18 healthy adults, M. officinalis at a 600 mg dose improved mood and cognitive testing, and reduced alertness. From: Kennedy, D. O., Little, W., & Scholey, A. B. (2004). Attenuation of laboratory-induced stress in humans after acute administration of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm). Psychosomatic medicine, 66(4), 607-613.
- A four month, parallel group, placebo controlled trial of 42 elderly people with moderate Alzheimer’s disease showed that taking an extract of M. officinalis over 4 months reduced agitation and improved cognitive function compared to the placebo. From: Akhondzadeh, S., Noroozian, M., Mohammadi, M., Ohadinia, S., Jamshidi, A. H., & Khani, M. (2003). Melissa officinalis extract in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease: a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 74(7), 863-866.
- Oral intake of a lozenge containing lavender oil, hop extracts, lemon balm and oat had a calming effect. From: Dimpfel, W., Pischel, I., & Lehnfeld, R. (2004). Effects of lozenge containing lavender oil, extracts from hops, lemon balm and oat on electrical brain activity of volunteers. European journal of medical research, 9(9), 423-431.
- A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group, multicentre study showed improved sleep with a lemon balm and valerian blend. From: Cerny, A., & Schmid, K. (1999). Tolerability and efficacy of valerian/lemon balm in healthy volunteers (a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study). Fitoterapia, 70(3), 221-228.
- Cyracos®, a standardized Melissa officinalis extract, reduced symptoms of stress and insomnia in this pilot trial of participants with mild to moderate symptoms. From: Cases, J., Ibarra, A., Feuillere, N., Roller, M., & Sukkar, S. G. (2011). Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Mediterranean journal of nutrition and metabolism, 4(3), 211-218.
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