Lemon Balm - A Refreshing Herbal Tea

Gardening for fun is still a lot of work.  When gardening IS your work then this refreshing, invigorating tea is a must......way better than soda for sure! 

 

From A Time For Herbs

 

Another Yummy Summertime Drink.....
Lemon Balm Mint Cooler

2 cups loosely-packed lemon balm1 cup loosely-packed mint (apple or pineapple will work also)
6 cups hot water
juice of 4 fresh lemons (1 cup)
honey or sugar to taste

Place the leaves into a 2-quart jar or pitcher.
Bruise them to release the flavor with a wooden spoon.
Pour hot water over leaves and let sit for 1 hour.
Strain and discard the leaves.
Add lemon juice and honey or sugar to taste.
Mix and serve over ice with sprigs of lemon balm or mint for garnish.

 

Factoids about Lemon Balm - (Thank you Wikipedia)

 

Culinary use

Lemon balm is often used as a flavouring in ice cream and herbal teas, both hot and iced, often in combination with other herbs such as spearmint. It is also frequently paired with fruit dishes or candies. It can be used in fish dishes and is the key ingredient in lemon balm pesto. It has been suggested that it might be a better, healthier preservative than beta hydroxy acid in sausages.

 

Medicinal Uses of Lemon Balm

The crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin, are used as a repellant for mosquitos.

Lemon balm is also used medicinally as an herbal tea, or in extract form. It is claimed to have antibacterial and antiviral properties (it is effective against herpes simplex).

 

It is also used as an anxiolytic, mild sedative or calming agent. At least one study has found it to be effective at reducing stress, although the study's authors call for further research.^[10] Lemon balm extract was identified as a potent in vitro inhibitor of GABA transaminase, which explains anxiolytic effects. The major compound responsible for GABA transaminase inhibition activity in lemon balm was then found to be rosmarinic acid.

 

Lemon balm and preparations thereof also have been shown to improve mood and mental performance. These effects are believed to involve muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Positive results have been achieved in a small clinical trial involving Alzheimer patients with mild to moderate symptoms.  Essential oils obtained from Melissa officinalis leaf showed high acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase co-inhibitory activities.

 

Its antibacterial properties have also been demonstrated scientifically, although they are markedly weaker than those from a number of other plants studied.  The extract of lemon balm was also found to have exceptionally high antioxidant activity.

 

Lemon balm is mentioned in the scientific journal Endocrinology, where it is explained that Melissa officinalis exhibits antithyrotropic activity, inhibiting TSH from attaching to TSH receptors, hence making it of possible use in the treatment of Graves' disease or hyperthyroidism.

 

Lemon balm essential oil is very popular in aromatherapy. The essential oil is commonly co-distilled with lemon oil, citronella oil, or other oils.

 

Lemon balm is believed to inhibit the absorption of the thyroid medication thyroxine.

Ob-X, a mixture of three herbs, Morus alba, M. officinalis, and Artemisia capillaris, may help regulate obesity. Ob-X reduces body weight gain and visceral adipose tissue mass in genetically obese mice.

 

Recent research found a daily dose of the tea reduced oxidative stress status in radiology staff that were exposed to persistent low-dose radiation during work. After only 30 days of taking the tea daily researchers found Lemon balm tea resulted in a significant improvement in plasma levels of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase and a marked reduction in plasma DNA damage, myeloperoxidase, and lipid peroxidation.

 

Lemon balm was found to be effective in the amelioration of laboratory-induced stress in human subjects, producing "significantly increased self-ratings of calmness and reduced self-ratings of alertness." The authors further report a "significant increase in the speed of mathematical processing, with no reduction in accuracy" following the administration of a 300 mg dose.

 

Lemon balm is the main ingredient of Carmelite Water, which is still for sale in German pharmacies