Butterfly Pea Tea

[lainey]

Has anyone ever tried Butterfly Pea Tea? I was given some by a friend in Thailand and it was delicious. You can eat the flower once it has brewed in the water and has a lovely sweet taste. The girl grew them in her garden on the island of Koh Phangan. It turns the tea bright blue! (Granted it doesn't look appetising for anyone who used to drink those awful blue wicked alcopops). I just looked it up and thought I would share the article:

Butterfly Pea Tea Thai 'Anchan' wild blue herbal flower tea (Proanthocyanidins)
Clitoria ternatea

Blue Butterfly Pea is an ancient Thai herbal plant. Its flower has three different colors white, blue, and purple. Not only beautiful, Butterfly Pea first gained its reputation as a powerful hair strengthener in the traditional Thai medicine. leaves, flowers, seeds, and roots are all used as medicinal herbs. According to Thai culture & folklore, butterfly pea flowers are squeezed to make Anchan tea, and as a coloring forThai desserts in blue and purple colors. It also provides anthocyanin to improve eyesight, treat opthalmitis and eye infections, nourish hair, provide antioxidants and boost body immunity. Many health & beauty products are derived from this flower because of the positive effects of the flavanoid, Quercetin has on skin & hair. The hot or cold tea is extremely thirst quenching and relaxing.

Anthocyanins are highly concentrated in the deep blue pigments of wild Butterfly Pea, which contain higher levels of anthocyanins than many other foods. They belong to a group of natural compounds, called flavonoids, found in the skins of many plants that have high antioxidant capacity and other bioactivity.
Researchers focused on the relationship between anthocyanin consumption and type 2 diabetes by examining data from over 200,000 men and women participating in long-term health studies.
In the study, they found that higher consumption of anthocyanins was associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, possibly due to their high content of anthocyanins, said Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and the studys lead author.
traditionally sun-dried in bamboo baskets in Thailand
Clitoria ternatea is a twining evergreen
perennial herb with compound leaves. The
stems are pubescent and spindly. The
flowers are in various shades of blue or
pure white. The fruits are pods resembling
thin peas. The plants belong to the family
Fabaceae. The roots, seeds and flowers have
medicinal value and are used to treat
various ailments (Gomez and Kalamani,
2003).
In the present study the levels of some nonenzymic
antioxidants namely ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione and total carotenoids were estimated in leaves and flowers of two varieties of Clitoria ternatea,one bearing blue flowers and the other bearing white flowers.


Proanthocyanidin with its high content of the flavonol quercetin improves eyesight, treat opthalmitis & eye infections, nourishes hair & skin, provides antioxidants and boosts body immunity. Clinical research in butterfly pea indicates that it has potential health effects against eye degeneration caused by diabetes, glaucoma, cataract and other eye related problems. It is said that the butterfly pea flower is one of the most valuable natural herbal plants in Thailand.

Benefits: Natural anti-oxidant, improves blood circulation. helps prevent hair loss and graying hair. Cleanses blood, & improves night vision, revitalizes skin & hair

 

[Kay Kim]

Thanks to lainey, I am really exciting about this information, and made a order for to try myself. I am trying to improve my “memory“ and “vision“. Nowadays that is somewhat not used to be.

Butterfly Pea Flower Benefits + How to Use It

Butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea) is used to make herbal tea that holds anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

draxe.com

When used to make an herbal tea, butterfly pea is basically calorie-free and also contains virtually zero caffeine.

One cup of brewed butterfly pea tea contains about five calories or less and no caffeine, fat, protein, carbs or sugar.

Most of butterfly pea flower’s benefits are due to its supply of antioxidants, which are responsible for its signature blue color. It’s a great source of antioxidants, including:

Nutrition Facts​

• anthocyanin, such as ternatins, some of the same types found in superfoods like berries, cherries and red wine
• flavonoids
• kaempferol
• quercetin
• myricetin glycosides
• gallic acid
• p-Coumaric acid

It also contains cyclotides, microproteins that help form connective tissues in plants.

1. Rich in Antioxidants​

2. Has Natural Antimicrobial and Immune-Boosting Effects​

3. Supports Cognitive Health​

Some research, including on animals, suggests that Clitoria ternatea can boost levelsof acetylcholine in the brain, which is a beneficial compound for focus, memory and other cognitive tasks.

Because of its ability to fight oxidative stress, butterfly pea flower might be helpful for slowing age-related memory loss and for generally supporting mental health, including by protecting against anxiety, effects of chronic stress, depression and ADHD.

4. Can Help Protect Your Vision​

5. Promotes Skin and Hair Health​

6. Aids in Metabolic Functions​

Clitoria ternatea may help reduce hypertension (high blood pressure) and high cholesterol, assist in other cardiovascular functions, and stabilize blood sugar levels, as some animal research shows. Some studies show it can also protect against symptoms related to diabetes and insulin resistance due to ability to shun oxidative stress.

To make butterfly pea tea at home:

1. Use about 1–2 teaspoons of dried leaves and petals for every 8 ounce cup of tea.
2. Pour very hot water over the dried leaves and petals, and let them steep for about 3 to 5 minutes. Watch as the water begins to turn a deep blue color.