Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is the most well-known member of the genus Melissa and is cultivated in temperate zones around the world. The finely serrated, egg-shaped leaves of the lemon balm plant give off a lemony scent when you brush against them. The leaves and flowers can be enjoyed when fresh or dried and are used as a seasoning or to make tea. Lemon balm contains essential oils and is used as a medicinal herb for its digestive, antimicrobial, and relaxing properties.
Culinary uses:
Lemon balm is a versatile culinary herb which you can use to flavor many different types of savory and sweet dishes. It has a mild and pleasant herbal taste with citrus tones. You can use lemon balm in place of lemon peel in recipes. Add fresh lemon balm to salads, sandwiches, steamed vegetables, soups, and stews. Use it in desserts to add a bright lemony flavor to fresh fruit salads, sorbets, and tarts. Marinades, dressings, and herb vinegar will benefit from the addition of fresh or dried lemon balm. Lemon balm pairs well with rosemary, oregano, and other Mediterranean herbs.
Make a delicious tea using fresh or dried lemon balm and mint leaves, add honey to taste.1,2
Purchasing:
You can purchase lemon balm as fresh sprigs in some supermarkets, health food stores, and farmers markets. It is often sold as a potted herb in garden centers. Dried lemon balm is sold in bulk or packaged in tea bags in health food stores, online, and in some supermarkets.
Finding wild:
Lemon balm grows wild in temperate zones around the world. You can find it growing in sandy and scrubby areas, in meadows, and on the edges of forests. Wild lemon balm can be found at elevations ranging from sea level to the mountains.2
Storing:
Fresh: Wrap fresh lemon balm in damp paper towels and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
To freeze: Chop fresh lemon balm and place in ice cube trays. Add water to fill, then freeze until you are ready to use it.
To dry: Tie fresh lemon balm into bundles and hang it upside down until it is dry. Store the dried leaves in a tightly sealed container.2
To grow your own:
You can grow lemon balm by planting seeds, cuttings or root divisions in spring or autumn. It is drought tolerant and will grow in any well-drained soil, but it prefers a light, rich, and moist soil in a partly shaded location. Lemon balm grows into a bush about 18 inches around. Harvest the stems and leaves regularly to encourage vigorous "growing". As a member of the mint family, it is a durable and vigorous perennial with a tendency to spread.2,3
Nutritional information:
The main components of the essential oils in Melissa officinalis are citral (neral and geranial), citronellal, linalool, geraniol, and β-caryophyllene-oxide.
Phytochemicals in lemon balm include phenolic acids, terpenes, rosmarinic acid, and caffeic acids. Lemon balm also contains tannins and eugenol acetate.2,3
Health aspects:
Powder and extracts made from lemon balm are a popular ingredient in dietary supplements, tinctures, and ointments. Lemon balm preparations may have relaxing properties which can help ease insomnia, tension, and anxiety. They also contain antiviral and antimicrobial properties which may help heal cold sores and fight infections.2,3
Use as a medicinal plant:
Gentle and mildly relaxing, lemon balm is used to relieve stress and anxiety, ease insomnia, and to help treat cold sores. It can help relieve indigestion and nausea and help minimize menstrual cramps. Lemon balm may help ease headache and toothache pain.2,3
Further research is needed to determine the efficacy of lemon balm.
If you are taking capsules, powder, or other commercially prepared supplements or herbs choose brands that have been tested by independent sources, such as ConsumerLab.com or U.S. Pharmacopeia Convention (USP). Herbs and supplements are not evaluated as a drug by the Food and Drug Administration, and there may be issues with purity, quality, or safety.
General information:
Used since ancient times, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a lemon-scented herb that comes from the same family as mint (Lamiaceae). The herb originated in southern Europe and has become naturalized in many parts of the world. Lemon balm is a perennial plant when grown in temperate zones. It has a bushy "growing" habit, with fragrant, egg-shaped leaves that feature serrated edges.2,3
Literature / Sources:
- Dr. Sue Hamilton, “Growing and Cooking with Lemon Balm,” Farm Flavor, accessed September 11, 2018. https://www.farmflavor.com/ at-home/cooking/ growing-and-cooking-with-lemon-balm/
- Lemon Balm: An Herb Society of America Guide. PDF file. 2007. https://www.herbsociety.org/ file_download/inline/ d7d790e9-c19e-4a40-93b0-8f4b45a644f1
- Wikipedia. Lemon balm.
Nutrient tables
The complete nutritional information, coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in the following nutrient tables.
Nutritional Information
|
per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Energy | 48 kcal 201 kJ | 2.4% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 2000kcal |
Fat/Lipids | 0.80 g | 1.1% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 70g |
Saturated Fats | 0.15 g | 0.8% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 20g |
Carbohydrates (inc.dietary fiber) | 8.0 g | 3.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 270g |
Sugars | 5.0 g | 5.5% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 90g |
Fiber | 3.0 g | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 25g |
Protein/Albumin | 3.5 g | 7.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 50g |
Cooking Salt (Na:20.0 mg) | 51 mg | 2.1% Recommended daily allowance according to the GDA: 2.4g |
Essential micronutrients with the highest proportions | per 100g | 2000 kcal | |
---|---|---|---|
Vit | Vitamin A, as RAE | 1'000 µg | 125.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 µg |
Vit | Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 45 mg | 56.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 80 mg |
Min | Manganese, Mn | 0.50 mg | 25.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2.0 mg |
Elem | Potassium, K | 400 mg | 20.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2'000 mg |
Elem | Calcium, Ca | 150 mg | 19.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg |
Prot | Tryptophan (Trp, W) | 0.05 g | 19.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.25 g |
Prot | Threonine (Thr, T) | 0.16 g | 17.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g |
Prot | Isoleucine (Ile, I) | 0.18 g | 15.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.2 g |
Vit | Folate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and | 30 µg | 15.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 200 µg |
Min | Iron, Fe | 2.0 mg | 14.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 14 mg |
Detailed micronutrients and daily requirement coverage per 100g
Explanations of nutrient tables in general
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
Essential fatty acids | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Alpha-Linolenic acid; ALA; 18:3 omega-3 | 0.19 g | 10.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the CH-EDI-Verordnung: 2.0 g |
Linoleic acid; LA; 18:2 omega-6 | 0.26 g | 3.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the CH-EDI-Verordnung: 10 g |
Essential amino acids | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Tryptophan (Trp, W) | 0.05 g | 19.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.25 g |
Threonine (Thr, T) | 0.16 g | 17.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g |
Isoleucine (Ile, I) | 0.18 g | 15.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.2 g |
Lysine (Lys, K) | 0.23 g | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.9 g |
Leucine (Leu, L) | 0.28 g | 11.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 2.4 g |
Valine (Val, V) | 0.18 g | 11.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.6 g |
Phenylalanine (Phe, F) | 0.14 g | 9.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 1.6 g |
Methionine (Met, M) | 0.06 g | 6.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the WHO-Protein-2002: 0.93 g |
Vitamins | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Vitamin A, as RAE | 1'000 µg | 125.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 µg |
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) | 45 mg | 56.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 80 mg |
Folate, as the active form of folic acid (née vitamin B9 and | 30 µg | 15.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 200 µg |
Niacin (née vitamin B3) | 1.9 mg | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 16 mg |
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 0.15 mg | 11.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg |
Vitamin E, as a-TEs | 1.0 mg | 8.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 12 mg |
Thiamine (vitamin B1) | 0.08 mg | 7.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.1 mg |
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.05 mg | 4.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.4 mg |
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) | 0.19 mg | 3.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 6.0 mg |
Biotin (ex vitamin B7, H) | 1.5 µg | 3.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 50 µg |
Essential macroelements (macronutrients) | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Potassium, K | 400 mg | 20.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2'000 mg |
Calcium, Ca | 150 mg | 19.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg |
Magnesium, Mg | 30 mg | 8.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 375 mg |
Phosphorus, P | 50 mg | 7.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 700 mg |
Sodium, Na | 20 mg | 3.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 800 mg |
Essential trace elements (micronutrients) | per 100g |
2000 kcal The numbers show the percent of the recommended daily value for a person who consumes 2000 cal per day. This number is for one serving of the recipe. A person normally eats multiple times a day and consumes additional nutrients. You can get all of the nutrients you need over a longer period of time and in this way ensure a healthy balance. |
---|---|---|
Manganese, Mn | 0.50 mg | 25.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 2.0 mg |
Iron, Fe | 2.0 mg | 14.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 14 mg |
Zinc, Zn | 1.2 mg | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 10 mg |
Copper, Cu | 0.12 mg | 12.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 1.0 mg |
Iod, I (Jod, J) | 4.0 µg | 3.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 150 µg |
Fluorine, F | 50 µg | 1.0% Recommended daily allowance according to the EU: LMIV-2011: 3'500 µg |
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