Lemon Balm Tea

Are you looking for a little boost this time of year? If you’re looking for a tea that calms your nerves and lifts your mood, have this lemon balm tea. It’s made with a blend of herbs including oatstraw, rose hips, lavender, orange peel, and lemon balm, a cheery plant with a long history of raising our spirits. Sipping this tea will surely brighten those dreary days.

A member of the mint family, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) has a lovely lemon flavor and the ability to gently calm the nerves and lift one’s mood. Native to the Mediterranean, lemon balm’s medicinal and culinary use dates back over 2,000 years. Avicenna, the 11th-century Arab physician, wrote that lemon balm “causeth the mind and heart to become merry.”

This recipe uses dried lemon balm but if you have access to fresh, that’s even better; use three to four times the amount called for.

You could make a tea with just lemon balm, and it would be delicious and uplifting. However, I like to add a handful of other herbs for their healing qualities and flavor:

• Oatstraw: Comprised of the stalks and leaves of the oat plant, oatstraw (Avena sativa) has a mellow grassy flavor. This herb can nourish the nervous system and ease anxiety. It is also a source of B vitamins, calcium, and many other minerals. (Note: You may omit the oatstraw if you have an allergy to oats or are concerned about possible gluten cross-contamination during processing.)
• Rose hips: Rose hips give this tea a mildly tart, fruity flavor. They are also high in vitamin C, which is always useful during the winter months.
• Orange peel: Orange peel complements the citrusy flavor of the lemon balm and rose hips.
• Lavender: Lavender is included for its aroma, which can calm restlessness and depression.

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