Lemon Verbena Tea Benefits + A Simple and Refreshing Lemonade

This lovely lemon verbena lemonade features lemon verbena tea, nourishing honey, and tart lemon juice. I love lemon verbena so much that it’s the first plant to welcome me home as I walk to my door. We’ll also look at lemon verbena tea benefits and why you’ll want to sip on this refreshing drink all the time.

Ever since I was little and watched my teacher dissolve a fellow classmate’s lost tooth in some coke, I knew I was done with soda. There are so many other healthy options available, like herbal tea with orange and mint or lemon verbena lemonade. We have the opportunity to nourish both body and spirit with each delicious sip.

Nutritious Honey

First, let’s take a look at the sweetener used in this lemon verbena lemonade recipe. Instead of sugar, we’re using nutrition packed honey. Regular pasteurized honey isn’t worth much and is often adulterated with cheaper ingredients.

Raw honey though, especially local from a nearby beekeeper, has a plethora of health benefits. Local honey is great for seasonal allergies, scratchy throats, and immune support. It adds a sweet, floral note to lemon verbena tea or lemonade.

Lemon Verbena Tea Benefits

Lemon verbena is one of those plants that just makes people happy. It relaxes the mind and mood to create a peaceful, tranquil feeling. It reduces inflammation, calms spasms, tightens and tones tissues, improves digestion, and relaxes the nervous system. Lemon verbena is also high in antioxidants.

Native to South America and Africa, lemon verbena has been the subject of quite a few recent studies. Research is further confirming lemon verbena tea benefits the brain and nervous system, is antimicrobial, and has anti-cancer properties.

One study found that along with omega 3 fatty acids, lemon verbena helped reduce joint pain and stiffness. Another found it helped reduce inflammation in patients with multiple sclerosis. Several studies show lemon verbena improves muscle recovery and inflammation after working out.

Traditionally lemon verbena is used to relax the mind for a restful night’s sleep. Sipped with meals it helps aid digestion and release stresses of the day. Herbal drinks are just one way we can create herbal self-care routines.

Lemon Juice

Of course, we can’t have lemonade without lemon juice. While it’s known for being high in vitamin C, lemon juice boasts other virtues. Lemon can boost the immune system and helps the body create collagen necessary for healthy skin. Combined with water or tea, lemon also helps the body clear toxins and jumpstart digestion.

Serving Lemon Verbena Lemonade

Lemon verbena tea benefits the body in so many ways that it’s worth having some as a daily staple. Lemonade is a fabulous way to enjoy the benefits of lemon verbena herb and makes a great drink to serve to guests or bring to parties. A lot of lemon verbena lemonade recipes add the herb as an afterthought, but here it’s the star of the show!

You can add a little bit of carbonated water at the end for a fizzy drink. Dress it up with some lemon slices or lemon verbena leaves for garnish. The lemonade will last for several days in the fridge, but it will likely disappear before then it’s so delicious!

I would love to hear from you! Have you used lemon verbena in drinks before? What are your favorite ways to use this herb? Please share in the comments below!

Print Recipe

Lemon Verbena Lemonade

Author: Kami McBride

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon verbena leaves (use about 2 tablespoons if dried)
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 1 cup raw honey

Instructions

• Place the lemon verbena leaves and water in a saucepan.
• Bring the water to a boil, immediately turn it off and remove from the heat. Let steep for 1-2 hours.
• Strain the lemon verbena tea, then stir in the raw honey and lemon juice. You may need to heat the mixture a little bit so the honey will combine.
• Serve over ice and garnish with lemon verbena herb and lemon slices as desired.