Color-changing tea? No need to cook or perform magic, just butterfly pea tea. We'll explain what it's made of, the effect it produces, and how you too can easily create surprised faces with a hot drink.
What is tea made of?
Butterfly pea flower tea is made from the petals of the butterfly pea plant. The butterfly pea plant, also known as the blue pubic flower or blue clitoris (yes, because its flowers look a bit like female genitals), is native to Africa and Southeast Asia.
The tea is naturally blue in color and is made from the hand-picked flowers of the butterfly pea, also known as the Asian pigeon pea. They are picked during flowering in the early morning hours and immediately sun-dried. Butterfly pea tea is traditionally served with honey and lemon over ice.
When water is added, the tea takes on a deep cobalt blue color. Add a few dashes of lemon and the liquid turns purple. The tea changes color depending on what it's mixed with. It turns light red when mixed with pink hibiscus flowers, but when mixed with mineral water, it turns grayish. The decisive factor is the pH value of the ingredient with which the tea is mixed.
Flowers are also very popular in cocktails. Incidentally, one of the first to celebrate tea with its mesmerizing play of colors and create a stir in the United States was Dominique Ansel, none other than the inventor of the cronut.
What are the effects of tea?
Butterfly pea flower tea and its benefits have long been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for various ailments, including stress, depression, and memory improvement. It is said to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, calming and relieving anxiety, as well as a draining and antispasmodic effect.
It is also believed to strengthen hair and delay graying by stimulating blood circulation in the scalp. Drinking this tea is also believed to have positive effects on vision and fertility. It is also believed to improve cell health and therefore reduce the risk of cancer.
Butterfly pea tea is also believed to be good for the skin, as it delays the formation of wrinkles and skin aging.
What does butterfly pea tea taste like and how is it made?
Its flavor is similar to that of black or green tea, meaning it's rather earthy and woody, rather than sweet as its color suggests. However, Thais like their tea very sweet, so they add citrus fruits like orange or lime, along with palm sugar. It's also often mixed with lemongrass.
In Southeast Asia, by the way, tea is used both in dishes and as a drink. In Thai restaurants, for example, it's used to add a natural color to dishes like rice puddings. Preparing the infusion is easy: strain 5-6 flowers into a cup of hot water and let it steep for 5-8 minutes. Adding water and lemon or lime juice creates a play of colors. Try it for yourself.
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5 Super Benefits of Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS – IMPROVES SKIN QUALITY.
The high concentration of antioxidants stimulates the synthesis of collagen and elastin in the skin.
Therefore, consuming blue pea flower tea helps maintain beautiful skin, reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging.
ANTI-STRESS
Aside from the blue color, which is known to give a feeling of well-being, regular consumption of butterfly pea flower tea also has a calming effect on the body.
Its mineral and vitamin content helps reduce stress and anxiety. It is very effective for temporary fatigue.
BENEFICIAL FOR EYE HEALTH.
The anthocyanins contained in blue pea flowers help improve blood flow to the capillaries in the eye, improving the clarity and sharpness of our vision.
In Asian pharmacopoeia, the juice of the leaves and flowers, packaged in eye drops, is used to treat eye problems.
IMPROVES MEMORY
Several scientific studies have demonstrated the nootropic properties of the flowers. Consuming butterfly flower tea increases levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important for proper brain function.
In this way, we improve our cognitive functions, such as concentration, attention and memory.
IMPROVES HAIR GROWTH.
The presence of bioflavonoids (also known as flavonoids or ancient vitamin P) promotes hair growth, helps thicken it, and reduces gray hair.
They also nourish hair roots, making them less brittle and shinier (it's this tint in blue shampoos that gives shine to dyed hair, softens red tones, and brightens white and gray hair). Buying butterfly pea tea is quick and easy.
