How to make Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
WHAT IS BUTTERFLY PEA TEA?
Blue tea — also known as butterfly pea or blue pea tea — is an herbal infusion native to South Asia.
It’s made by brewing the dry petals of Clitoria ternatea L., a plant known for its characteristic bright blue color.
Aside from being a natural food colorant, blue tea is widely consumed for its medicinal properties. For instance, it reportedly improves heart and brain health and provides anti-diabetic and anti-cancer effects
It’s technically a perennial herbaceous plant in the Fabaceae plant family. Because this plant is high in protective antioxidants, it’s consumed in extract form to help fight free radicals and inflammation and promote overall health.
Butterfly pea flower tea is also used for beauty purposes, such as contributing to healthy-looking skin, hair and eyes.
ORIGIN: THAILAND
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BUTTERFLY PEA
1. Prevent skin from aging: Butterfly Pea Flower tea contain high antioxidants and has even been studied for its ability to help protect the skin against premature aging.
2. Fight against internal inflammation: Butterfly Pea flower has been used to treat general pain, reduce inflammation, common eye issues like conjunctivitis, fight against certain types of cancers, induce brain health, and increase vitality.
3. Combat neurodegenerative diseases: Butterfly Pea flower has been consumed for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, anti-stress and calmative agent.
4. Effective for weight loss: Butterfly Pea flower contains epigallocatechin gallate, which speeds up the calorie-burning process by boosting the metabolism.
Avoid: Do not store in high temperature, high humidity, and direct sunlight to maintain the best quality.
BUTTERFLY PEA TEA NUTRITIONAL VALUE
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 colour. It’s a great source of antioxidants, including:
• 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.
WHAT DOES BUTTERFLY PEA TEA TASTE LIKE?
Butterfly pea tea produces a unique scent that resembles earthy and woody notes with a smell similar to tempeh, when steeped, the tea can change its scent to a slightly sour and citric taste, comparable to hibiscus tea.
The taste can be described as a cross between woody, sweet, and lightly floral.
Despite its smell, the tea is quite refreshing without much intensity.
HOW TO BREW BUTTERFLY PEA TEA
Water temperature: 90-100 degrees
Amount: 1 teaspoon of butterfly pea flowers per 250 mL water
Steeping time: 5-10 minutes
Approx. refills: 2-4 times
WHAT CAN I DO WITH BUTTERFLY PEA TEA?
Popular ways to use butterfly pea tea are to add:
Lemon/lime
Wildflower honey
mint leaves
BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER TEA FOOD PAIRINGS
Butterfly pea tea is perfectly paired with soft cheeses, cheesecake, jelly, ice cream, yogurt, butter, and batter
RANDOM FACT
The magic comes when lemon, or another form of acidity, is added and turns the tea from blue to a bright violet. The lemon changes the pH level of the tea, leading to the change in color.
