Can You Eat Lemon Balm Leaves Raw?

How to Use Lemon Balm. As a general rule of thumb, treat lemon balm as you would any other fresh herb. It works especially well in place of mint, offering bright, fragrant notes. Add whole lemon balm leaves to green salads, or chiffonade the leaves and scatter them over a fruit salad for added zesty flavor.

How many lemon balm leaves can you eat?

Capsules: Take 300 to 500 mg dried lemon balm, 3 times daily or as needed. Tea: 1.5 to 4.5 grams (1/4 to 1 tsp.) of dried lemon balm herb in hot water. Steep and drink up to 4 times daily.

Can you chew lemon balm leaves?

Relieves pain and swelling of insect bites.
When you get an insect bite or bee sting, reach for a lemon balm plant. To release the plant’s beneficial oil, crush or chew a leaf or two, and apply directly to the affected area to relieve pain and reduce swelling.

What can you make with lemon balm leaves?

12+ Things to Do With Lemon Balm:

• Make a sleepy time herbal syrup:
• Make a lemon balm bug spray:
• Chop fresh leaves and sprinkle on salads or in baked goods:
• Make a lip balm for cold sores:
• Make a glycerite:
• Make a relaxing, tummy soothing tea:
• Make lemon balm soap:
• Make a simple remedy for bug bites & acne:

Is lemon balm better fresh or dried?

Drying lemon balm preserves the quality and flavor of the plant for storage. An easy way to have lemon balm on hand is to dry it at home. Drying is simple and safe and you will soon have lemon balm when you want to relax for a good night’s sleep!

Can I drink lemon balm tea everyday?

Lemon balm tea is generally safe for consumption when consumed in small to moderate quantities. As with many teas and herbal remedies, lemon balm tea may cause adverse reactions in certain individuals.

What are the side effects of drinking lemon balm tea?

Lemon balm has the potential to cause the following side effects:

• headache.
• painful urination.
• increased body temperature.
• nausea.
• vomiting.
• stomach pain.
• dizziness.
• wheezing.

Is lemon balm poisonous?

When taken by mouth: Lemon balm is likely safe when consumed in amounts found in foods. Lemon balm supplements are possibly safe when used at a dose of up to 500 mg daily for up to 6 months. Side effects are generally mild and might include increased appetite, nausea, dizziness, and wheezing.

Is lemon balm addictive?

Although Melissa officinalis is preferred by many people as an alternative to pharmaceutical drugs, it should be noted and explained to patients that the herb may have a dependency risk and can lead to withdrawal symptoms when consumption is abruptly discontinued.

Does lemon balm help with weight loss?

Does lemon balm work for weight loss? Because it has anti-inflammatory effects, can help you cope with stress, improves digestion and supports metabolic health, it may be useful for maintaining a healthy weight. It’s a not a magic bullet, but help with weight loss might be a potential secondary effect.

Does lemon balm grow back every year?

Over-winter lemon balm in a protected area such as an unheated garage or patio. Winter growing: Cut back lemon balm in fall leaving just 2 inches of stem. The plant may freeze back to the ground in winter but will re-grow from underground roots and renew itself in spring.

Can you add lemon balm leaves to water?

Directions for Secret Ingredient Lemon Balm Water:
Place lemon and lime slices into the glass and fill with ice. Fill with water and add in the minced lemon balm leaves. Using a spoon mix the water. Enjoy!

How do you store lemon balm leaves?

Storage Tips: Fresh Lemon Balm leaves should be washed and dried, then stored in a clear plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Lemon Balm can also be stored in an infused oil. To prepare, wash and thoroughly dry the leaves then place them in a clean, sterilized glass jar.

Does lemon balm repel mosquitoes?

Lemon Balm
The lemon scent, which repels the bugs, is powerful. It rubs off very well onto the skin. Lemon balm repels mosquitoes and gnats.

Can you dry lemon balm leaves for tea?

In summer you can make fresh lemon balm tea, or you can dry the leaves for a beverage you can enjoy all year round. I’ll show you how to make fresh tea in summer. And while we’re here, I’ll also show you how to dry lemon balm leaves to preserve them for later.

Should I let lemon balm flower?

Removing the flowers of the plant as soon as they appear will make your lemon balm far less invasive.

Does lemon balm raise blood pressure?

Lemon balm may lower your blood pressure and therefore should be used with caution if you are taking medications with similar properties. It can also lower your blood sugar levels and people with diabetes should use lemon balm with care.

Is lemon balm anti inflammatory?

The use of herbs to relieve pain has a long history in the world of medicine. The fact that the essential oil of lemon balm has anti-inflammatory properties supports the traditional use of this herb in the treatment of numerous diseases associated with inflammation or pain (Bounihi et al., 2013).

Is lemon balm antibacterial?

Among these products, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis, Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant and used for the treatment of headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, nervousness, and rheumatism. It is an antibacterial and antifungal agent.

Is lemon balm toxic to the liver?

It has been proved that high concentrations of flavonoides increase production of reactive oxygen species by autooxidation (28). These cases show that consumption of high doses of lemon balm hydroalcohoic extract in the short period causes toxicity effects on liver cells.

Does lemon balm lower blood sugar?

Lemon balm is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken appropriately by mouth for about one month. Diabetes. Lemon balm might lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use lemon balm.