Is Lemon Balm Poisonous When Eaten?

Lemon balm is a popular flavoring ingredient.

Lemon balm, or Melissa officinalis, is an herb in the mint family. It known for its ability to attract bees to a garden.

Chemical Composition

Lemon balm contains several active ingredients, including eugenol, terpenes, citronellal, citronellol, citral and geraniol.

Safety

Lemon balm is generally considered safe for consumption in small to moderate quantities. Lemon balm has a noted effect on thyroid activity and thyroidal hormone absorption, and it is recommended that individuals receiving medical treatment for underactive thyroids avoid lemon balm.

Chemical Reactions

Eugenol is considered to be toxic to the liver in extremely large quantities. The other ingredients should be avoided by people who have known allergies to them or to other citrus products.

Culinary Uses

Lemon balm is a historical and popular flavoring for ice cream and both hot and cold teas. Candies also make use of the natural flavorings in lemon balm.

Medicinal Uses

Lemon balm is considered to be a soothing herb with sedative properties. As such, the realms of aromatherapy and naturopathy rely on this herb as a staple for oils, teas and tinctures. Lemon balm extract has also been linked with antioxidant activity in a 2008 study published by the journal "LWT - Food Science and Technology."

References

• "LWT - Food Science and Technology"; Chemical composition and in vitro antioxidative activity of a lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) extract ; Katrin Hecht ; April 2008
• "Endocrinology"; "Extracts and Auto-Oxidized Constituents of Certain Plants Inhibit the Receptor-Binding and the Biological Activity of Graves' Immunoglobulins"; Michael Aufmkolk, Jonathan C. Ingbar, Ken Kubota, Syed M. Amir Sidney H. Ingbar; October 1985
• University of Maryland Medical Center - Lemon Balm

Resources

• Lemon Balm Recipes