Lemon Balm
Botanical name: (Melissa officinalis)
Also Known As: Sweet balm, Blue balm, Balm, Garden balm, Cure—all, Dropsy plant, Honey plant, Sweet Melissa, Sweet Mary, and Balm mint.
The Lemon balm plant is a perennial herb and a Mediterranean member of the mint family. It is a hardy bush that grows one to two and a half feet high with crinkly, serrated, heart—shaped leaves, which taste, and when the leaves are rubbed, smell of lemon.
Lemon balm herb is a low—growing plant and has small white flowers that appear in summer and bloom until autumn. Lemon balm herb works mainly as a gentle sedative and digestive aid. Known uses of this herb include aiding attention deficit disorder (ADD), Alzheimer's disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, depression, heart flutters, stomach nerves, headaches, painful menstruation, insomnia, and cold sores.
The Lemon balm leaf can be added to soups, salads, chicken and fish dishes, vinegars, oils, and to fruit and wine cups. Its leaves are also used to flavor herb butters, fruit drinks, custards, casseroles, and sorbets. It is also one of the vital ingredients in the liqueurs Benedictine and Chartreuse. When steeped it is a delicious, aromatic tea.
Note: These statements have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration, and this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. We at eSutras do not recommend internal use of supplements or herbs without prior consultation with your doctor or herbalist.
