Blue tea, as the name suggests, is a beverage bearing a prominent blue colour, made from the flowers of the Clitoria ternatea plant. Common names of this medicinal shrub, indigenous to South East Asia, include butterfly pea, cordofan pea, blue pea, aparajitha and Asian pigeonwings.
Blue tea is a popular food trend in recent times, owing to the wonderful benefits it confers, for human health, such as promoting weight loss, detoxifying the body, pacifying the mind, enriching skin texture and improving hair growth.
Also Read: Natural Immune Boosters: Calming, Aromatic Herbal Teas To Combat Monsoon Maladies
Clitoria ternatea is a plant from the family Fabaceae and is commonly found throughout South East Asian countries of Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India and Sri Lanka. The bright blue petals from the flowers of the butterfly pea plant have been used as an ingredient in herbal tea drinks throughout the region for centuries as well as used in cooking. The blue flower imparts its blue colour when steeped in warm or hot water, leading it to be used as a dye, as well as to add colour to various traditional dishes.
The impressive nutritional profile of blue tea makes it a wonderful weight loss beverage, as well as a refreshing drink to cool the body, when served chilled. Being naturally caffeine-free and a completely herbal concoction, blue tea just like Green Tea is also a powerhouse of antioxidants. It contains significant amounts of the catechin EGCG - epigallocatechin gallate, as well as a host of anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting components such as flavonoids, tannins and polyphenols.
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Medicinal Properties Of Blue Tea
Antioxidant Properties:
Blue tea is rich in antioxidants, particularly anthocyanins. Antioxidants help protect the body from oxidative stress and free radicals, which can contribute to chronic diseases and ageing.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects:
Some studies suggest that the compounds in butterfly pea flower tea may have anti-inflammatory properties. This can be beneficial for reducing inflammation in the body, which is associated with various health issues.
Cooling Properties:
Blue tea is believed to have cooling properties in Ayurveda. It is often consumed to help cool the body and balance excess heat, making it suitable for individuals with a "Pitta" constitution or those experiencing conditions associated with heat and inflammation.
Anti-Ageing:
The antioxidants in blue tea are believed to help combat free radicals, which can contribute to premature ageing. It is sometimes used for its potential anti-ageing effects on the skin and overall vitality.
Anxiolytic (Anxiety-Reducing):
Blue tea is known for its calming and stress-reducing properties. It may help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation due to its potential interaction with neurotransmitters in the brain.
Antibacterial and Antifungal:
Blue tea has shown antibacterial and antifungal properties in some research, which can be beneficial for maintaining overall health and preventing infections.
How To Make Blue Tea:
The recipe to whip up a cup of blue tea is quite simple. Just boil some blue pea flower petals, along with dried lemongrass, in water for 5 - 10 minutes. Add some honey to this herbal concoction and serve warm before meals. Blue tea can also be consumed cold, post meals, to aid in digestion and promote healthy sleep.
Also Read: Lemongrass: 5 Therapeutic Reasons Why This Aromatic Tea Is Awesome
Incredible Wellness Incentives Of Blue Tea:
Facilitates Digestion
The tea is rich in antioxidants, which makes it a great beverage to include in your detox diet, especially in summer. Antioxidants protect the body against free radical action. Free radicals are harmful substances which can damage healthy cells in the body. Drinking a cup of blue tea once or twice a week on an empty stomach flushes out toxins accumulated in the system and vastly improves digestive health.
Uplifts Mood
The earthy flavour of butterfly-pea flower tea is said to be a mood enhancer. The tea is said to have stress-busting effects that may also help reduce symptoms of anxiety. It is also known to refresh the brain, bolster energy levels and stamina, influence positive emotions and thereby increase productivity at work. Blue tea is also a great stress-buster, alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Accelerates Weight Loss
Blue tea is free from caffeine, as well as contains zero carbs, fats and cholesterol. It is hence an ideal drink for those on weight loss diet, as it purifies the gut of any food wastes and impurities, as well as regulates appetite. By curbing untimely cravings for junk food, blue tea is a remarkable herbal drink for maintaining optimal body weight.
Enhances Skin Health
The flavonoids present in blue tea help stimulate collagen production, helping develop and maintain skin elasticity. Drinking a cup of warm blue tea regularly eliminates undigested food particles from the system, clearing the stomach, liver and kidneys. This, in turn, cleanses the body internally and immensely brightens dull skin, removing dark spots and uneven skin tone.
Stimulates Hair Growth
Blue pea flower is excellent for the hair too, as it contains anthocyanin - a compound known to increase blood circulation in the head and therefore maintain a healthy scalp. It also helps in strengthening the hair follicles from within.
Prepared by steeping the vibrant indigo flowers of the Clitoria ternatea plant in boiling water, blue tea bestows umpteen wellness incentives for a fit body and a sound mind. Also popularly known as butterfly pea flower tea, this herbal concoction is blessed with a multitude of potent antioxidants like polyphenols, tannins, catechins, as well as immense valuable phytonutrients, that display tremendous memory boosting, antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycemic and analgesic characteristics.
Aside from bequeathing a luminous complexion, accelerating weight loss, renewing skin tissues and ameliorating hair growth, a cup of piping hot caffeine-free blue tea holds high therapeutic values in rectifying the symptoms of myriad ailments like diabetes, atherosclerosis, glaucoma and is truly an energizing and nourishing drink.
Ameliorates Diabetic Conditions
Sipping on a cup of piping hot blue daily works wonders in avoiding sudden spikes in blood sugar levels, besides facilitating smooth digestion processes, in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The abundant reserves of phenolic acid, phenolic amide antioxidants in blue tea portray significant antihyperglycemic effects, improving insulin secretion, regulating glucose metabolism and preventing excess absorption of sugars by body cells, both while fasting and post consuming meals. Butterfly pea flower tea is certainly an ideal wholesome addition to the diabetic diet.
Uplifts Cardiac Wellness
Blue tea is laden with fortifying bioflavonoid compounds, that supply protective and remedial antioxidant qualities for heart health. Heaped with antihyperlipidemic constituents, blue tea tremendously decreases cholesterol volumes and aberrantly high lipid/fat levels in the bloodstream. Moreover, having a glass of blue tea reduces harmful triglyceride and bad LDL cholesterol concentrations, while raising good HDL cholesterol amounts. This, in turn, averts the risk of a host of cardiac ailments, such as atherosclerosis, heart attacks, dangerous blood clots in the arteries, veins and hypertension or high blood pressure.
Promotes Healthy Eyesight
The richness of proanthocyanidin complexes in blue tea makes it a refreshing, delightful and nutritious beverage for enhancing eyesight. Thanks to the storehouse of anti-inflammatory and analgesic i.e. pain-relieving traits in blue tea, it delivers noteworthy merits for lowering the discomfort, redness, swelling experienced in common eye infections. By stimulating the passage of blood that is imbued with essential nutrients, towards the intricate capillaries of the optic cells, tissues, blue tea efficiently preserves visual organelles and structures of retina, cornea, lens, healing indications of glaucoma, hazy vision.
Additional Benefits:
Fights Reproductive Problems
Blue tea infusion has been helpful to treat menstruation related problems such as reducing cramps and soothing pain. For males, the infusion is given to enhance normal sperm production. The flower is also considered to have potent aphrodisiac properties.
Boosts Brain Health
Known in Ayurvedic science as a brain herb, blue tea has been used to enhance memory, aid brain health, treat anxiety, and combat depression. Owing to its acetylcholine compound, the herb can also help fight Alzheimer's. Drinking butterfly pea flower tea offers many brain boosting benefits.
Augments Respiratory Health
Blue tea has been used as potential treatment option for respiratory disorders and is an excellent treatment for colds and coughs. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it helps to reduce the irritation of the lungs and drain an excessive fluid build-up. Butterfly pea tea also has therapeutic properties that can help treat asthma and various respiratory allergies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does Blue Tea Benefit Your Body?
Blue tea is a powerhouse of antioxidants which help protect your body against free radical damage. It is also believed to have anti-inflammatory properties, promote skin health, and support brain function. Blue tea may help lower blood sugar levels and improve heart health.
Can I Drink Blue Tea Every Day?
Yes, blue tea can be a part of your daily routine, provided it's consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Like any other beverage, excessive consumption of blue tea can lead to certain adverse effects, so it's important to exercise restraint.
Is Blue Tea Better Than Green Tea?
Blue tea and green tea offer different benefits due to their unique compositions. Green tea is highly valued for its high antioxidant profile particularly catechins like EGCG, which are linked to numerous health incentives, including weight loss and improved heart health. Blue tea, on the other hand, is valued for its anthocyanin content, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Both teas can be part of a healthy diet, but choosing between them depends on your health goals and preferences.
Does Blue Tea Reduce Belly Fat?
While blue tea is not a magic solution for reducing belly fat, it can be included as part of a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise. Some studies suggest that the antioxidants in blue tea may help with weight loss by promoting metabolism and reducing inflammation. Still, more research is needed to confirm these effects specifically on belly fat.
What Is Blue Tea Made Of?
Blue tea is typically made from the flowers of the butterfly pea plant (Clitoria ternatea). The flowers are sun-dried and brewed in hot water, resulting in a vibrant, blue-coloured tea. Some variations may include additional ingredients like lemongrass or ginger for flavour.
References:
A Commercial Potential Blue Pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) Flower Extract Incorporated Beverage Having Functional Properties
Suraweera Arachchilage Tharindu Lakshan, 1 Nileththi Yasendra Jayanath, 1 Walimuni Prabhashini Kaushalya Mendis Abeysekera, 2 and Walimuni Kanchana Subhashini Mendis Abeysekera 3
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6545798/
Clitoria ternatea: A low-cost noble blue tea in
India, Puja Barman* and Dr. Sanjukta Kar**
