Tea with lemon balm: useful properties and contraindications

Fragrant tea with lemon balm is liked by many for its pleasant taste and subtle aroma. They drink it hot and chilled, add sugar or honey to it, play bouquets with other herbs - and always it shows itself gently and delicately. But not everyone thinks about the healing properties of such a drink. Let's understand in more detail, what is useful for tea with melissa, whether it can harm and how it should be drunk according to different recipes.

Composition and Calories

Tea with melissa is notable for its versatility, the minty aroma of the drink combines with many other components and perfectly "solo". The drink can be prepared in different ways:

• a pure infusion of the leaves and flowers of the plant;
• tea with the addition of other phytocomponents;
• A drink based on green, white or even black tea;
• with the addition of sugar, honey, syrup or jam;
• with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon;
• with lemon and other citrus fruits;
• with milk or cream.

All these components affect not only the effect of tea, but also its caloric value. Melissa itself has little effect on the energy value of the product, in each tablespoon of sugar will be 20-25 kcal, honey - about 26 kcal, if you add to tea with melissa 10-20 ml of milk - this is still plus 5-15 kcal, a little cream - 15-20 kcal. Spices on the caloric value will not affect much. In total, a cup of tea with lemon balm can be from 0 to 60-80 kcal. Usually this tea is light and pleasant, safe even for diets.

As for the useful composition of melissa, you need to consider its components. The plant contains a complex of minerals, vitamins, essential oil, tannins, phytoncides, tannins, flavonoids, organic acids. Tea has a subtle minty aroma with a sourness, which is why the plant is called a lemon mint. This effect is due to the characteristic oil in its composition. Melissa essence is good for the body, so tea can be brewed not only on the basis of fresh or dried leaves of the plant, but also add a drop of oil to drinks, desserts, jams or use in home aromatherapy.

Dried leaves are just as useful when infused, so it is not necessary to look for fresh bundles of the plant. It is enough to buy a collection of even six months old and enjoy a great drink.

interesting fact: A mixture of melissa oils with lemon helps to eliminate unpleasant odor. To wash dishes from fish, vinegar, grease, it is enough to rinse them in a solution with the addition of fragrant essentials. Also spread around the house zest and sprigs of lemon balm will help get rid of stale or other unpleasant odor.

What are the benefits of lemon balm tea

General Benefits

The surprising fact about melissa is that it is virtually harmless. The main feature of this drink is that it is not necessary to use it too much, but it is possible to relax regularly with a cup of such a drink at bedtime.

The main property of melissa is considered a calming effect:

1. It cools, relieves irritation, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.
2. It relieves pain and cramps, has an antiemetic effect.
3. Normalizes digestion, helps to cleanse the body, aligns the pH-balance, removes retained fluid.
4. Noticeably lowers blood pressure, helps with hypertension and arrhythmia, and normalizes blood vessels.
5. It calms the nerves, helps to overcome stress, relax, relieve emotional tension and anxiety.

In addition, lemon balm infusion helps to fight fungi, improves the skin, maintains youthfulness and cleanses the blood composition. It is used for colds to eliminate viruses and strengthen immunity, for poisoning to remove toxins, relieve fever and irritation, eliminate nausea and body aches. After a long hard work in the country house, at the gym, in the factory, this drink will help relax the body and soul and rest fully.

With different characteristics of the body, the plant helps in its own way, so you can brew tea with lemon balm for the whole family.

For women

The fair sex appreciates drinks with melissa, first of all, for their light sedative effect. Tea will help eliminate mood swings, increased anxiety, tearfulness, apathy. Melissa relieves fatigue and helps to sleep. Cooling properties and the ability to remove excess fluid will help with varicose veins and edema, and in addition, it is useful for weight loss.

Drinks with lemon balm stabilize hormones, eliminate hot flashes after menopause, and during menstruation soothe and relieve pain syndrome, help reduce blood loss, lowering blood pressure. The plant also has anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal effect, it is used as a medicinal drink or for irrigation during genital diseases, for rapid recovery after childbirth.

Melissa lightly brightens the skin and restores its healthy glow. Drops of melissa oil are added to a tonic or cream to cool, relieve irritation, moisturize and refresh the face. Tea consumption also gives a fresh rested look.

For Men

For men, melissa can help combat severe stress, avoid hypertensive attacks and reduce the threat of a heart attack. With impotence and decreased sexual power on psychological grounds, the drink helps to relax, pull together, remove clamps.

When nervous overstrain, the drink will help to calm attacks of aggression, and when abusing alcohol - to remove toxins and cause rejection of alcohol.

Also such a tea is good tonic and helps normal water metabolism, so you can drink an infusion or tea with lemon balm during or after active training, to quench thirst at hard physical work.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, women suffer from hormonal toxicosis, nausea, mood swings. Often they complain of depression, appetite disorders, swelling, constipation. Melissa can help to cope with all these problems without side effects. This is one of the few plants that are fully allowed in pregnancy, nevertheless it is advisable to consult a doctor before introducing such a tea into the diet on a permanent basis.

The infusion will eliminate digestive discomfort, normalize trips to the toilet, help cope with increased stress, soothe and establish sleep, and in addition, will prevent the formation of pigment spots, which sometimes bother women who are expecting a child.

Melissa can be substituted for the main drink. You can also evaporate drops of oil, using them as aromatherapy to normalize the mood, before going to bed and with nervous tension. Such procedures are said to help if the baby is restless and pushing hard.

When breastfeeding

Doctors do not forbid the use of melissa during lactation, it can improve the taste of milk and maintain the health of the young mother. In addition, melissa has a mild analgesic effect, if there is some discomfort during lactation. Specialists urge to drink no more than 1-2 cups of weak tea a day, and to monitor the baby's condition - whether there are any rashes on the skin, whether the stool is normal. In case of allergies, lemon balm teas are allowed to be drunk only after the breastfeeding period is over.

For children

Little fidgety children are recommended to give tea with lemon balm. It becomes a good supportive remedy for ADHD or on the contrary - if the child is lethargic, sickly. Periodic tea drinking will help your child sleep better, strengthen the immune system, and support him during colds and poisonings.

If a child is allergic to insect bites or has a fever, the tea will help relieve pain, itching, soothe and normalize the condition.

For teenagers, melissa will help contain hormonal outbursts, concentrate better, eliminate inflammation on the skin, and improve digestion.

The plant is considered safe for children from 4 years of age. If you need to give your child tea earlier, it is better to discuss the dosage with your pediatrician.

For weight loss

Melissa is useful for weight loss in several ways, as it:

1. Calms an irritated stomach, so it will help with malnutrition and heartburn in the early stages of dieting.
2. Stabilizes the mood, protects against nervous swings, insomnia, aggression or apathy.
3. Normalizes hormonal background, which helps the body to rebuild the metabolism and get used to a new regime.
4. Supports the immune system.
5. Promotes normal fluid balance in the body and its cleansing.
6. Helps to eliminate toxins, refresh the appearance.

Tea with lemon balm is not considered a tool for weight loss, but it is excellent to support the body during strict diets, soothing, blunting the sense of nervous hunger and helping to distract from possible discomfort. The tea will help cleanse the body without discomfort.

Melissa Tea in Medicine

Melissa was first used back in ancient Greece and Rome. It has been used to treat insomnia, migraines, digestive disorders and female inflammation. In the modern world, lemon balm is recommended as an aid for stress and depression, insomnia, high blood pressure and even diabetes.

The medicinal plant effectively helps to normalize acidity in gastritis, cholecystitis and other diseases related to digestion. Melissa is recognized by official medicine as a mild sedative and is recommended for prevention and self-maintenance of the body.

Infusions of melissa fight various inflammations, spasms, vascular disorders, soothe children's nervous system, strengthen the immune system in colds and infections, lower the temperature.

Harms and contraindications

There are no direct contraindications to the use of this plant, melissa contains no dangerous substances or potential irritants. In rare cases, there is an individual intolerance to the substances contained in the plant.

With caution should be treated with pure infusions of melissa pregnant, lactating women, people with neurological and psychiatric diseases, patients taking sedatives and other potent drugs. In all these cases, should consult a doctor.

In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and heart, as a rule, melissa is beneficial. The exception is hypotension, low blood pressure or unstable heart rhythm.

An overdose of melissa can cause stomach discomfort, headache, heart rhythm disturbance, drowsiness, confusion. Do not consume high doses of melissa tea for drivers and people who work at machines, with dangerous machinery.

How to brew lemon balm tea correctly

There are no special recommendations regarding the ceremony of preparing the infusion. If you want to brew molasses as a medicinal raw material, it is recommended to take 3 teaspoons per glass of hot water and insist 15-20 minutes. Longer lemon balm should not be kept in water, the drink should be strained and consumed or stored in the refrigerator no longer than 8-12 hours.

Infusion of melissa rather quickly deteriorates and loses its medicinal properties. Tea is brewed weakly and drunk quickly - then the plant brings maximum benefits.

To make a classic infusion for drinking, you need to take 2 teaspoons of dry raw materials and brew in 250 ml of water. After 10-15 minutes, you can spice the drink with lemon, honey, milk and other additives and drink it. For children, 1-1.5 spoons per glass is enough.

You should also take into account that the collection of herbs at different times and varieties can affect the composition and intensity of the action of the active substances of the plant. Therefore, it is necessary to be guided by the taste. For children and the elderly, it should be slightly minty, full to the taste or slightly watery, for adults - distinctly minty. The healing potion should be brewed strong, slightly tongue pinching, cooling, but drink no more than 2-3 servings for 3 days, taking a break or reducing the dose.

When brewing your favorite herbal or classic tea, you can add a pinch of dried powder or 2-3 fresh melissa leaves to give the drink a subtle aroma. Melissa is added 2-3 minutes before drinking after the main beverage has infused - then the taste of the tea will be delicate, airy and delicate.

How to Dry Melissa for Tea

You can dry melissa at home outdoors. There are several options: tie small bundles and hang them on the balcony or spread the leaves on a towel, covering the top with gauze - this will protect the raw material from dust, insects and will not let it scatter in the wind.

When drying herbs in an oven or an electric appliance, it is worth exposing no more than 40 degrees, so that the useful elements do not disappear under the influence of high temperatures.

It is recommended to choose not only the leaves, but also the stems and flowers of the plant. Grow melissa better yourself, and when buying from herbalists, pay attention to the integrity of the leaves, a homogeneous shade and fresh pronounced aroma of the herb. You can also buy a ready-made dry mixture. Melissa is sold in pharmacies, tea shops and in the spice departments.

It's good to know: it is recommended to combine leaves, stems and flowers in a 4:2:1 ratio in a tea. Since the twigs contain the main concentration of essential oil, they should not be taken as a base.

How to drink lemon balm tea

Amazing mint drink, delicate and pleasant to the taste, you can drink without any special rules and recommendations at any time of the day all year round. You should consider a slight sedative effect of tea with melissa, so drink it while on duty or consume it in large quantities while driving, especially if the night before sleep was short. In optimal portions, however, this tea will help calm you down, pull yourself together and relieve increased anxiety.

It is not recommended to boil or infuse Melissa with boiling water, but it is sufficient to brew it in water temperature of 80-90 ° C to infuse it with a delicious tea. It is better to drink this tea at a temperature of 40-65 ° C, so its taste and beneficial properties are revealed as much as possible.

Pure tea with lemon balm is consumed alone, but if you add a pinch of the fragrant herb to regular tea for flavor or make a hot drink with jam - it's great with baked goods, cakes, croutons, candy and other foods.

How much you can drink a day

Melissa is one of the few plants that actually causes no allergies or side effects, so in general its consumption per day is not limited. But those who are very fond of such tea and drink it regularly, it is still worth adhering to certain norms:

• 2 cups of weak infusion per day for children;
• 2-3 cups of medium-strength tea for adults.

If you drink 4 cups a day regularly, you may experience heart, kidney, nervous, or hormonal problems. Experts recommend preferring mild combinations of green tea with the addition of melissa, infusions with sage, thyme, as well as compotes and morses, for example, from apples, currants, lingonberries, with the addition of fragrant herbs. Then its beneficial effect will be optimal.

Can it be drunk at night and on an empty stomach?

Thanks to its soothing properties, lemon balm is completely safe for the body, so you can drink it in the morning on an empty stomach or before going to bed. This will even be useful, helping you to relax and fall asleep quickly and soundly.

Melissa has a gentle effect on the body, does not irritate the mucous membranes and does not violate the acid-base balance. On the contrary, it will help relieve heartburn, soothe digestion before going to bed, neutralize the pathogenic environment in the mouth, which will help maintain healthy teeth. Consuming melissa in the morning will awaken the digestive system.

Such an infusion can be consumed instead of the morning glass of water for those who can not drink clear liquids. Only in this case, it is desirable to exclude the addition of honey, sugar or lemon. The only disadvantage of a drink with melissa in the morning can be considered its sedative effect. Tea will not help to cheer up and gain energy.

Interesting facts about lemon balm

1. The plant has been known for many thousands of years. Its healing effect was mentioned even in the works of Pedania Dioscorides, Pliny the Elder and Avicenna - the great healers and the first medical scientists of the past.
2. The juice of this hypoallergenic herb can be used to cauterize insect bites and abrasions to disinfect them, soothe the skin, relieve pain and accelerate healing.
3. The name of the plant is interpreted as "honeybee". According to one Greek legend, there was such a beautiful nymph who gave Zeus milk with honey and opened to people the secret of beekeeping. There is also a version that other goddesses, out of envy of her beauty, turned the nymph into a plant, but even after that she continued to fragrant, captivating hearts and healing health. It is believed that this is why the melissa drink can be combined with honey and milk.
4. Also in Greece, melissa was famous as an aphrodisiac. It was believed to awaken subtle sensuality, soothe, remove anxieties and help set the right mood.
5. Strange as it may seem, the fragrance of the delicate plant was believed to scare away snakes and harmful insects. Sprigs of melissa were placed at the threshold and in the house to freshen the air and improve the atmosphere.
6. Slavic healers used it for fainting, dizziness, nervous and cardiovascular problems.
7. The drink in hot form is recommended for colds and inflammations, for infectious diseases. In warm form it is drunk to relieve fevers, pains, from nervous fatigue. And in chilled form it helps to gather, refresh, awaken strength. Also cool lemon balm teas are used as a remedy for flatulence or as a mild diuretic.
8. If you are prone to nausea, you can carry fresh melissa leaves or its oil, rub it between your fingers and inhale the fumes to eliminate seasickness, panic attacks and "cloudy" states.

If you like the pleasant and unobtrusive taste of melissa tea, feel free to introduce it into your daily diet. It will help you rest while staying healthy in all seasons.

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