The benefits of lemon balm

Lemon balm, or lemon balm (Melissa officianalis) is a perennial herbaceous plant which belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Of Mediterranean origin, it is also called “lemon balm” because of its lemony smell.

Lemon balm is found in central and southern Europe, the western part of Asia and northern Africa.

Lemon balm is used in cooking, particularly in drinks, salads, desserts, or to flavor marinades and vinegars.

In herbal medicine, lemon balm is often used for its soothing properties on digestive and nervous disorders.

History of lemon balm

Lemon balm takes its name from the Greek Melissa meaning bee. Indeed, the fresh, lemony scent of lemon balm, a honey plant par excellence, attracts bees. Beekeepers coated the hives with lemon balm to attract them.

The therapeutic properties of Lemon Balm have been used since ancient times [1] . Hippocrates, a Greek doctor considered the father of Medicine, recommended it to soothe digestive disorders. As for Arab doctors, they used lemon balm for its positive effects on mood and mental well-being. Finally, a Persian doctor and philosopher from the 11th century, named Avicenna, prescribed this plant to relieve melancholy.

Lemon balm became very famous thanks to Emperor Charlemagne, who cultivated it in his gardens to help him manage his mood. A few centuries later, Charles V, French king, had the habit of drinking lemon balm tea daily.

In France, during medieval times, lemon balm was cultivated in the medicinal gardens of priories and monasteries and was then used in preparation for its various benefits on digestion and sleep .

Today, lemon balm remains a widely used medicinal plant for its many virtues. The European Medicine Agency (EMA) has validated its use to reduce stress, promote sleep and relieve digestive problems.

Lemon balm leaves are most often used in herbal tea or infusion, in food supplements and in several herbal medicines.

Properties of lemon balm

Endowed with powerful medicinal properties, lemon balm is a plant that provides numerous benefits for the body [2] .

Lemon balm for digestive well-being

Mainly digestive and relaxing, lemon balm is very often used to maintain healthy transit and thus benefit from digestive well-being. It helps relieve certain digestive disorders such as bloating, slow digestion, belching, flatulence or even liver pain.

In addition, thanks to its antispasmodic action, lemon balm can also help relieve period pain.

 

Lemon balm for mental well-being

Thanks to its calming effect on the nervous system, lemon balm is effective in treating the effects of stress , anxiety, nervousness and physical agitation. It may be useful in the treatment of mood disorders and minor sleep disturbances in adults and children.

To find restful sleep and fight against anxiety, lemon balm can be combined with valerian, a plant with calming properties, to potentiate its effects.

Lemon balm to treat skin problems

Finally, lemon balm can be used locally to relieve skin inflammation and fungal infections, and improve blood healing.

The WHO (World Health Organization) recommends it in the treatment of cold sores, to reduce symptoms and promote rapid healing of microlesions. Lemon balm is particularly more effective in the form of cream or essential oil, thanks to the presence of citral with antiviral and anti-oxidant properties.

Lemon balm is a well-tolerated plant which can therefore be consumed by everyone, including children over twelve years old for internal use.

For external use, it is suitable even for the youngest. It is notably one of the favored plants for relieving childhood colic.

How to consume lemon balm?

To benefit from the health benefits and virtues of Melissa, you can consume it in the form of an infusion/herbal tea, capsules, essential oil or even cosmetic products.

Make a lemon balm infusion

To make a herbal tea based on lemon balm, you must infuse 5g of fresh or dried lemon balm leaves for 10 minutes in 150ml of boiling water.

It can be drunk at midday after lunch, and before going to bed to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and promote better quality sleep.

In addition to the infusion, lemon balm can be consumed fresh in cooking to enhance many dishes.

Do a massage with lemon balm

To perform a soothing massage on painful areas of the body, simply mix a drop of lemon balm essential oil diluted with vegetable oil. The massage can be repeated several times a day as needed.

Délicure’s CBD Melissa Focus & Relax gummies

Délicure offers “Focus & Relax” gummies enriched with CBD and lemon balm. CBD, or cannabidiol, is a natural molecule that comes from the hemp plant. Increasingly popular in France, CBD is very appreciated by its consumers who use it for its numerous therapeutic properties. Indeed, thanks to its stimulating effects on the endocannabinoid system [3] , CBD reduces emotional stress, relieves anxiety disorders, promotes rapid falling asleep, regulates mood or even soothes mild pain.

CBD is completely legal in France and its consumption does not present any danger to health, according to the WHO (World Health Organization).

CBD Mélisse gummies are vegan, natural, guaranteed without THC (the psychotropic molecule of cannabis) and 100% Made in France. With a delicious orange taste, Délicure has chosen to make them with fruit puree and orange essential oil to mask the bitterness of the CBD.

The perfect combination of Melissa and CBD makes these gummies a very effective natural product to promote relaxation and mental and physical well-being.

One gummy contains 10mg of high quality CBD and 25mg of lemon balm, a practical format that allows you to choose your precise dosage.

To combat stress and get quality sleep, Délicure also offers Sleep gummies and Stress gummies based on relaxing plants and essential vitamins to support the nervous system and promote relaxation.

[1] https://wellcomecollection.org/works/cf5q5fe5

[2] https://ojs.openagrar.de/index.php/JABFQ/article/view/14111

[3] https://ingesciences.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ARTICLE_CBD-et-ses-effects_FR_WEB.pdf

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