Lemon Balm

Benefits of Lemon Balm

  • Relaxation
  • Digestion
  • Emotional wellbeing
  • Form: Extract
  • Where it's from: Europe
Lemon Balm

What is Lemon Balm?

Also known as Melissa officinalis, Lemon Balm is a perennial plant that belongs to the mint family and has a naturally mild lemon aroma. Lemon Balm has historically been used in cooking and in traditional herbal practice in European countries, the Mediterranean region, and countries in the Middle East, including for digestion. As an essential oil, Lemon Balm has a sweet scent that is both refreshing and relaxing at the same time.

What does the research say about Lemon Balm?

A review of its traditional uses, chemistry and pharmacology brings much of the research on Lemon Balm together. It contains a wide range of active plant compounds, several of which have antioxidant activity, and it is still being studied for these compounds.

Laboratory research has looked at how lemon balm extract affects GABA transaminase, an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter GABA, and studies of foods containing lemon balm have looked at its effects on measures of stress and mood.