Balm

What is Balm?

The term balm refers to several distinct but related concepts, primarily involving aromatic substances and plants:

• Medicinal and Aromatic Preparations: A balm is an aromatic preparation, such as a healing ointment, used to soothe the skin or body. Historically, the term derives from the Latin balsamum, referring to the oleoresin of certain trees.¹²
• Botanical Plants: In botany, balm refers to various aromatic herbs of the mint family. The most well-known is lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), used in cooking and perfumery. Other examples include bee balm and bells of Ireland.³
• Resinous Exudations: Certain aromatic resins from trees in the Burseraceae family, such as the Balm of Gilead, are also called balms.³
• Figurative Use: The word is often used to describe a soothing or restorative agency, such as comfort for emotional distress.¹

What is the difference between a balm and an ointment?

While the terms are often used interchangeably, there is a distinction between a balm and an ointment based on their origins and definitions.

An ointment is defined specifically as a smooth substance applied to the skin to help heal wounds or reduce pain and discomfort.³⁴

A balm, by contrast, has a broader definition. Historically, it refers to an oleoresin derived from specific trees. While a balm can function as a healing ointment, the term also encompasses:⁵¹

• Aromatic substances: Preparations used for their soothing scents.⁵¹
• Botanical plants: Various aromatic herbs belonging to the mint family, such as lemon balm.¹
• Figurative use: A general term for any soothing or restorative agency, such as emotional comfort.¹

In essence, while all balms used for skin care are types of ointments, not all ointments are balms, as the latter term carries additional botanical and aromatic connotations.¹

How is lemon balm used in cooking and medicine?

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), an aromatic herb in the mint family, is widely utilized for both its culinary and medicinal properties.

Culinary Uses

The fresh or dried leaves of the plant are valued for their lemon-scented fragrance and are used to season or flavor a variety of items:

• Food: It is commonly added to salads, soups, sauces, and stuffings⁶.
• Beverages and Sweets: It serves as a flavoring agent in candies, liqueurs, wine, and fruit drinkstopic/wine), and fruit drinks.⁶
• Teas: It is a popular ingredient in herbal teas.⁶

Medicinal and Other Uses

Lemon balm has a long history as an herbal remedy for various ailments, specifically serving as a digestive and sleep aid. Additionally, its essential oil—which contains compounds such as citral, geraniol, and citronellal—is frequently used in aromatherapy, perfumery, and cosmetics.⁶

What is the history of the Balm of Gilead?

The Balm of Gilead is a term with deep historical and biblical roots, originating from the ancient region of Gilead, an area east of the Jordan River.

In antiquity, the substance was a highly valued medicinal product. While often associated with the mastic obtained from Pistacia lentiscus, it is also historically linked to the fragrant resin of the Commiphora gileadensis tree, native to the Arabian Peninsula. The term appears in biblical texts, such as Genesis and Jeremiah, symbolizing a potent healing agent.⁹¹⁰

Over time, the name has been applied to various other plants, leading to modern usage that differs from the ancient original:

• Poplars: It commonly refers to North American poplar species, such as Populus jackii or the balsam poplar, whose resinous buds are used in cough syrups.²⁹¹⁰
• Figurative meaning: The phrase has evolved into a metaphor for any agency that provides comfort, relief, or healing.²