Whether for medicinal purposes or savory preparations, there are countless herbs that are used all over the world. Each herb belongs to a unique plant family, which often has hundreds of members. With so many herbal species looking similar, it is not uncommon among gardeners to often confuse them.

Lemon balm, mint, and catnip are the members of the mint or Lamiaceae family that has 236 genera with over 7,000 species.Thus, being members of the same family, they share a lot of resemblance and family characteristics. So how do you tell the difference between mint, lemon balm, and catnip?

Here are the key differences to distinguish the three herb species!

Appearance: lemon balm vs mint vs catnip

Mint herb grows from 6 inches to 3 feet high and spread up to 3 feet. It has matte-surfaced leaves that are usually dark green in color.

Catnip herb grows in sprawling clumps 2 to 4 feet high and 3 feet wide. Its leaves are downy and blue-gray-tinged.

In contrast to the two, lemon balm herb grows to about two feet tall and two feet wide,making it even shorter than catnip. It produces bright green foliage, especially if it gets plenty of sunlight all day.

Taste differences of lemon balm, mint and catnip

Fresh mint herb leaves, from which the Spearmint Tincture is made, tend to have a stronger flavor and a menthol taste. It leaves a lingering cool effect on the tongue. 

Catnip herb is much similar to mint in taste, but it is a bit weaker. When used in tea, it gives the tea a woodsy, almost grassy taste. This pleasant taste is also preserved in our Catnip Tincture.

In comparison to these, lemon balm herb has a strong lemony scent and citrusy taste. This flavor has to do with the presence of citral, citronellal, and other minor well-known chemicals. They are also contained in Lemon Balm Tincture, which concentrates all the beneficial nutrients of the herb.

Lemon balm, mint and catnip health benefits

Eating fresh or dried mint herb leaves helps eliminate bad breath while inhaling essential oils improves brain function. Among others, mint health benefits include soothing IBS and indigestion.

Catnip herb is mostly consumed in tea, and it is best known as one of the herbs for stress and anxiety. Consuming catnip tincture also helps soothe indigestion and insomnia. And like mint, it is also used to cure the symptoms related to gastrointestinal upset and flatulence.

As compared to the above two, lemon balm health benefits include not only relieving stress but also helping you become calmer and uplifts your mood. Lemon balm herb has been traditionally used to gain an increased sense of calmness.

Final Word

Whilelemon balm, catnip, and mint are all popular herbs from the same plant family, they have different properties and health benefits. Now that you know the differences and the benefits they have to offer, it's time to find the best products containing these herbs.

At Secrets of the Tribe, we offer 100% pure and organic Intestinal Rescue, Lemon Balm Capsules, and Catnip Tincture to help you get the most of these three herb species!