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Lemon balm — Ingredient · Foodgeist
Ingredient
Lemon balm
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), not to be confused with bee balm (which is genus Monarda), is a perennial herb in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. It grows to 70–150 cm tall. The leaves have a gentle lemon scent, related to mint
About
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), not to be confused with bee balm (which is genus Monarda), is a perennial herb in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. It grows to 70–150 cm tall. The leaves have a gentle lemon scent, related to mint. During summer, small white flowers full of nectar appear. These attract bees, hence the genus name Melissa (Greek for 'honey bee'). Its flavour comes from citronellal (24%), geranial (16%), linalyl acetate (12%) and caryophyllene (12%).
Aroma profile
Derived from this ingredient’s flavor compounds
aromatic×8
fresh×7
green×5
grassy×5
herbal×5
herbaceous×5
pungent×5
cooling×4
Taste profile
Derived from this ingredient's compounds · measured taste classes
Ranked across every axis at once: shared flavor chemistry, real-recipe co-use, novel-discovery, and nutrient synergy. Pairs agreeing on two or more axes lead.
Molecular affinity
Pairs well with — ingredients that share aroma compounds
“The observed antibacterial activity of ethanolic extracts of coriander, lemon balm and spearmint leaves suggests a mechanistic explanation for the efficacy of a mixture of coriander, lemon balm and mint extracts against IBS in a published clinical trial”
ethanolic extracts→antibacterial activity→coriander, lemon balm, and spearmint leaves
