Nutritionally speaking, lemon balm is an incredible source of antioxidants. What are the healing properties of lemon balm? Whether alive and thriving, or dried and stored away, itвЂ™s a gentle and generally safe herb that is helpful for a multitude of ailments. Lemon balm is an easy plant to keep in any home. If you donвЂ™t have a green thumb, you can always find organic, ethically sourced lemon balm in bulk online or in your local health food stores. That means removing no more than two-thirds of the plant. This will ensure that the plant can keep growing up and out.Д«ut if itвЂ™s a young plant or recently transplanted, itвЂ™s best to take as little as possible. Just be sure to cut beneath the split at the base where two leaves grow out of the stem. If the bush has been there for a while, you can take larger portions of the plant. When you are ready to harvest, be sure to cut each trimming just above a pair of leaves. ItвЂ™s best to harvest lemon balm when it has several flower buds because thatвЂ™s when the essential oils in the leaves are most potent. Lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis) plants produce dainty white flowers in early summer to fall. If you find some on that wandering path where you were forest bathing, you can save some of the seedlings to keep the local flora alive, or you could find heirloom seeds at your plant nursery.Д«ut a word to the wise: be sure to keep it in pots because itвЂ™s an intrusive plant that will invade your other plant beds.

Lemon balm grows virtually anywhere and is abundant in nature, so we donвЂ™t have to worry about over-harvesting it. To tell lemon balm apart from catnip or spearmint, rub a leaf between your fingers and see if it releases a citrus fragrance to be sure itвЂ™s lemon balm. A shape very similar to catnip or spearmint.If youвЂ™re out on a stroll or hike and detect a hint of lemon on the breeze, look for: You tea flavor will be more intense, if you steep them much longer.YouвЂ™ll probably smell lemon balmвЂ™s lovely lemon fragrance before you see it.Д«ut despite its citrus smell, lemon balm is actually in the mint family.Add in lime/ lemon or other fresh herbs to bring out the flavor and to enrich the nutrients.Avoid additives and chemicals, choose for healthy eating habits. Choose for organic lemon balm/ materials and get it from reliable source.If you are pregnant or taking any medication, please consult with you doctor before consume.Cool down the tea by put it in refrigerator.ДЎ3) Afterwards add in ice or cold sparkling water. Crumble the dried leaves into a bag and store them in cool place.Дў) For fresh lemon balm leaves, bruise the leaves gently using a mortar and pestle.ДЈ) Place the leaves in a tea ball or just add them in the pot.ДҐ) Crush and stir the leaves gently with a wooden spoon.Д¦) Add natural sweetener into the water and gently stir it.Д§) You may add in other optional flavors like drops of lemon/ lime juice or other fresh herbs like spearmint or hyssop).ДЁ) Let them steep for about 15 minutes with the lid half on.Д©) Strain the tea to separate out the leaves.ДЎ0) If the tea is too strong, add a bit of water to thin it out.ДЎ1) The hot lemon balm tea is ready to serve.ДЎ2) If you want the tea to be served iced cold or chilled. When the lemon balms turn dark and crispy, pull the leaves from the stems. Separate the leaves from the stems and pat them dry.ДЄfter the washing/ cleaning process, you can either hang them outdoors for couple of days or lay them on a paper towel and bake them in the oven for around 25 minutes on a very low temperature. Lift them up out of the water and repeat the wash for several times. Harvest lemon balms and then wash them thoroughly with cold water to remove dirt. Natural sweetener such as honey, agave syrup or steviaДЎ) You can choose to use fresh lemon balm leaves or dried lemon balm leaves to prepare your lemon balm tea.Fresh herbs like spearmint or hyssop (optional).Or 1-2 tablespoons of dried lemon balm leaves per cup of tea. 2-3 tablespoons of fresh lemon balm leaves per cup of tea.Most important, steps to brew a lemon balm tea are simple and easy. This lemon-scented herbal tea not only tasty, it can uplift your spirits and help you to relax. Lemon-balm tea is a well-known herbal tonic that offer a lot of health benefits.

Lemon balm tea