Blue butterfly pea tea made from the flowers of Clitoria ternatea is an amazing drink that has wonderful health benefits and medicinal uses. This blue butterfly pea tea is also called Anchan Tea, Color Changing Tea, Clitoria Tea, Thai Blue Tea, Blue Tea, Blue Chai (India) and Aparajita Tea in different parts of the world.
What Is Blue Butterfly Pea Tea?
Blue Butterfly Pea Plant:
The botanical name of blue butterfly pea plant is Clitoria Ternatea. The plant is a climber and it belongs to the family Fabacea and genus Clitoria. This plant has been used in Ayurveda for many years for treating many neurological problems like depression, anxiety and for improving memory. All parts of the plant including the leaves, seeds, roots and flowers have medicinal properties.
Blue Butterfly Pea Flower Tea:
Blue Butterfly Pea Flower Tea:When I wrote about butterfly pea plant a few weeks back, I had mentioned about the butterfly pea tea in the post. One of my friends asked me to write in detail about butterfly pea tea so I thought I will give step by step instructions for making this wonderful tea (with 3 variations) along with the health benefits.
The tea made with it not only looks beautiful (it has got a vivid blue color) but it is full of antioxidants too. Though you can make the tea with fresh flowers each time, I would suggest drying the flowers during summer time so you can use it year around. To dry, collect the flowers and spread it on a plate, cover with a thin mesh and sun dry till crisp and store. Now you can make antioxidant tea all year round. In our farm, butterfly pea flowers grow in abundance so I collect it everyday till I have enough flowers, dry them and store for future use.
This tea is very easy to make and can be served as a refreshing drink and I have to add, it looks stunningly beautiful if served in transparent glasses. Another beautiful thing about this tea is when we add lemon juice to the tea, the color changes! This is the reason the tea is also called color changing tea. Though it sounds childish, I love to watch the color of the tea change from purple to beautiful pink color after adding lemon juice to it, a must try tea in my humble opinion.
Blue Butterfly Pea Tea Taste:
Blue butterfly pea tea has a very subtle earthy taste. I make the blue butterfly pea tea with both fresh and dried flowers. Butterfly pea tea is so refreshing but has a very very subtle taste, we can only taste the lemon and honey in the tea mostly.
Nutrients:
Blue Butterfly Pea Tea Health Benefits:
When you drink blue butterfly pea tea, you will feel energised due to it’s high antioxidant content and it is a good remedy for fatigue. Since we have this plant at home, I like to have a cup of this tea in midmorning to relieve fatigue especially if I am doing heavy work. This tea is a good remedy for stomach ulcer and it has a soothing effect on our stomach. Since it helps lower blood sugar levels, it is good for diabetic patients.
It helps treat respiratory problems like asthma, cold and cough and a warm cup of this tea when you are suffering from cold is like heaven! This tea also helps relieve stress, depression and anxiety, if you are feeling stressed or not able to sleep, try a cup of this tea before bed, it will help. This tea is also good for hair and skin and if you are suffering from any kind of skin inflammation, please consume this tea for a few days.
Where To Buy Blue Butterfly Pea Tea?
Where To Buy Blue Butterfly Pea Tea?Blue Butterfly Pea Flower Powder & Extract:
Blue butterfly pea flower powder got by grinding the dried flowers is also sold online. It can be used for both making the blue butterfly tea and also as a natural coloring for dishes. It is popularly used to make blue colored rice.
We also get butterfly pea extract, which is nothing but sugar, butterfly pea flowers and water boiled together to make a syrup. You can add little bit of the syrup to water along with lemon juice to make instant blue butterfly pea tea.
How To Grow Blue Pea Flower At Home?
If you plan on having butterfly pea tea regularly, I would suggest growing your own butterfly pea plant at home. You can easily buy young butterfly pea plants in most nurseries cheaply in India and plant them in your garden.
It can survive in almost all types of soil but needs good drainage. You can also grow them from the seeds too. To plant butterfly pea seeds, soak butterfly pea seeds overnight in water and plant them in small pots next day and water regularly. The seeds will germinate in 2 to 3 weeks time.
Blue Butterfly Pea Tea Side Effects:
This tea has fewer side effects, in fact I couldn’t find any side effects at all and it also has been clinically proven to have very very low toxicity even when taken in large quantities. Though it is safe for consumption, I couldn’t find any study proving that it is safe for pregnant and breast feeding women so for them I would suggest to practice caution. If you do consume, do it only in moderation.
3 Best Blue Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Recipes:
3 Best Blue Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Recipes:1. Basic Blue Tea:
Collect fresh flowers, wash and spread them on a plate and sun dry till crisp covered with a net. To make the tea, boil water and pour the boiling water over the dried flowers, steep till the color of the water changes to blue color. Strain and add honey to taste. Your beautiful blue tea is ready, pour into a serving glass. You can also make the tea with fresh flowers too.
2. With Lemongrass:
Follow the same recipe but take a small piece of lemon grass, pound and then add to the dried flowers before pouring the boiling hot water. This tea is so aromatic and wonderful!
3. Color Changing Butterfly Pea Tea:
Follow the same recipe as before. Now for the magic part, add few drops of lemon and see the color change to beautiful purplish pink. If you add more of lemon juice it will turn fully pink.
NOTES:
- You can use either use fresh or dried flowers.
- This tea is full of antioxidants and has been proven through clinical research.
- Add lemon juice according to your taste, the color change will depend on the amount of lemon juice.
- If you have irritable bowel syndrome, drink it plain like given in the first recipe.
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Just tried it me n my sis loved it … we added a pinch of salt to it
Is this safe for pregnancy/trying to be pregnant?
This butterfly pea tea actually helps in fertility and has very low toxicity…
Hi, i have helped 3 couples to conceived, 1st couple'child us now 7 years old juz started school this year, 2nd couple's now 6months old, 3rd couple is giving birth soon, juz give me sone details n i will be abke to help. Looking forward to hear from you soon
Shirley Tan.. what sort of details do you need.. ?
I just ordered a bag from Amazon. I steeps then added honey & itβs delicious. I love the benefits &a look forward to taking them.οΏ½οΏ½
I think this would be good for RA. I will be further looking into this appealing qwenching blue elixer.
Haha it does look like some sort of potion, blue elixir
U have an amazing blog…love reading all ur post…:-)
http://www.instagram.com/blueteaindia in case you wish to see what more this FLOWER can do in FOOD and BEVERAGE
I've heard it also makes great kombucha
Wonderful…
I have noticed two varieties of this flower. The single and double flower petal variety. Is the double petal variety also good got tea making? I've noticed most blogs show the single variety in pictures but I wonder if the same tea and benefits can also be made from the double flower variety?
We have the double petal variety butterfly pea flowers at home too. You can use them also for making tea, it has the same benefits…
We use it to color our desserts, especially glutinous rice.
Natures gift
Yes so amazing…everyday we drink blue pea tea with my boss..my boss tell us drink every day
Thank you for responding Ramya! Great my double variety seedlings have started to sprout I can't wait for them to mature an flower!
Hello Ramya,I have seen similar type of flowers growing wild in my area. How do I confirm it is Butterfly pea? i never thought it can have medicinal importance.
Sandy, look at the shape, color and size of the flowers and also at the plant, butterfly pea plant is a creeper…..
Hi Ramya,I am searching for the plant or it's seeds, to grow them in my house. Could you please help me in this?ThanksViswanadh
Hi Ramya,I want to grow these plant could you please provide some information about how I can get it's seeds.Thanks and RegardsViswanadh
This blue butterfly pea plant is very very common as it grows wild everywhere, you can easily buy it in any nursery in India..
I have been planting and cultivating butterfly pea for years, i am also selling blue ternatea tea. I am from Malaysia, it may be impossible for you to get the sibling. If you wish I would be gladly post to you a dozen or two of the seed…but you need to bear the postage…Regards
Yeah.. it is the same. It has been growing as a wild plant. Never new it has potent ingredients. The tea does not have any strong taste. It is just a mild colorful drink full of antioxidants. Thanks for sharing Ramya.
Also good in omelet with sauce soy.The juice of the washed flowers boiled with sugar; good and , free.
Also good in omelet with sauce soy.The juice of the washed flowers boiled with sugar; good and , free.
I will need to try out also after the real production.
Just had it in my lemon iced tea…with lemon grass, passion fruit and blue berry tea. Splendid!
We Chinese used it to colour our glutinous rice for dessert and jelly making.
We Chinese used it to colour our glutinous rice for dessert and jelly making.
We Chinese used it to colour our glutinous rice for dessert and jelly making.
Ramya..Thank you so much for this information,never knew about this and tried with white pea flower which i have it in my garden. So refreshing it is.
Does it flower whole year? If their are any other medicational use of the flowers or leaves. What is the blooming season in climate like in west uttar pradesh
Butterfly pea does not flower throughout the year, usually it flowers during the monsoon season. Look for the flowers during late summer season when the rains start…
But in Thailand we can plant it for the whole year visit us to find more information http://www.butterflypea.com
Hi Ramya! Accidentally tumbled upon to your blog which is very informative with a simple English language and very beautiful professional looking photographs.Hope they were captured by you. All the best ! – Somasundaram – Namakkal.
Hello Sir, I am glad you find the blog useful. All the photographs in this blog were taken by me, I enjoy photography a lot…:)
Hi Ramya, thank you so much for the information. Your blog is very informative and amazing. May I share your blog so that more people can benefit from your wisdom ?
I will be very glad if you share the blog with others….:)
hi ramya… thnx for this info, just want to ask.. if we will use fresh flowers, shall we use the same process… pouring hot water in it? thnx
You can use the same process for making the tea with fresh flowers too…
@ramya Thank you for this Blog and couple of others I went through!I wanted to know : Where are the best farms of this FLOWER in India?Is it in Kerela People grow it as a CROP?Is it also cultivated on Large Scale?I am a PROFESSOR from IMT Ghaziabad and Some of our students are looking to do a Business project out of it!Can we talk on Mail?-Sunilsunilchandrasaha@gmail.com+919971345205
W have plenty of this flowers in our garden. But never thought it can be used as food, drink and medicine. Thanks a lot!
Hi RamyaThis is mu fav flower tea.I drink it daily.It helps in keeping my hair healthy and my complexion nice and smooth.I hv a fb page Have A Cuppa Blue Tea, an online business selling these dried organic flowers online.And I ve been sharing yr blog with my friends
informative..
Greetings Ramya, my sister gave me lots of seedlings last summer season. Now, the blue-violet flower just bloom around our garden and I just love watching them everyday. I never knew even my sister of the name and its health benefits. I'm so glad I got to your blog. Thank you so much. More power and God bless! π
Is there any scientific evidence of the health benefits of this plant or is it just word of mouth?
I have given links to all the studies that supports the uses of butterfly pea in the post, just click on the links…
where can we find the proof of food safety and health benefits of this?
Clitoria Ternatea is considered very safe and has low toxicity and has been used traditionally for many years.I found a study proving the low toxicity levels: http://www.irjponline.com/admin/php/uploads/739_pdf.pdf
is blue turnate same as blue-butterfly pea-tea? i was so much confused.
I have the double petal variety. Should I collect the flowers when they burst or when they're still buds?
We usually collect the flowers, once they bloom…
I would like to know what it tastes like. Is it sweet or butter and do the dried flowers smell or does this flower not have a flowery scent? Thank you
It absolutely has no taste or smell and tastes very bland :). It just looks beautiful but with wonderful medicinal uses…..
I was amaze when i discovered this blue tarnate plant when a friend of mine give me a seedling and now growning in my garden, so lovely to stear them blooming a blue flowers. Is this safe to make a tea to a diabetic person?
Hi, i saw some website listed all the health benefits of the tea but at the end they said it's not good for pregnant and breastfeeding women to consume because excess consumption will cause toxic effects. Is that true?
How many flowers do u use for a cup would u say ? I have just grown and have double purple / white / sky blue colours….Want to try for the colours and see π
4 Dry Flowers in a Cup is Great which is 0.25 gram. Brew it for 2 min Have it with Mint and Lemon to see color Change. #COLORCHANGINGTEA – bluetea.co.in
Looks like Shankapushpi flower.
It is shankupushpi. The scientific name is clitoria ternatea.
It's time to dry and keep my bunga telang
Hi Ramya, I live in The Netherlands and I ordered sead, so next year maybe we also wil have bleu butterfly pea tea :-)Thanks for your blog.Kind regards Joke.
Awesome product. Love that it had the dried flowers and the powder separated but sold together in one package!https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071V9J1TV
Hello, I would like to know if there is theine in this flower ? Can children drink it ? Many thanks.
Yes. It's proven that it's good for memory. Children can drink it. We have research documents for it. Please ask for it if you wish to order.bluzire@gmail.com9971345205
Can we use the leaves also as tea?
We use only the flowers for making the tea and I would suggest the same…
Thank you Ms. Ramya, and it's great that you have introduced the product to the WORLD of CULINARY. Chefs are loving it and so are bartenders. It's a Bliss for TEA LOVERS. A treat to eyes and health.
How to buy this product, im here in naga city camarines sur
I can send it to you. If you like!blueteaindia@gmail.com
Thanks for the information. In Marathi it's called Gokarma.
Let me know if you wish to order it! For FOOD / DRINKS and TEA bluetea.co.inNow In India http://www.instagram.com/blueteaindia
I just ordered a bag from Amazon. I made it as u directed & its delicious! I drink green tea w/honey daily instead of coffee or sodas bc of the antioxidants. I mixed them together & made a pitcher. I look forward to reaping the benefits.π
Great you tasted it. Used in FOOD, DRINKS, MOCKTAILS/COCKTAILS, DESSERTS, SALADS. We have created all of it. http://www.instagram.com/blueteaindiaNow it's available in India in Sun dried Dry Form and ensuring all it's richness is intact. +919971345205 for India and Global deliveries. We are now supplying to TAJ HOTELS India and Malvidives too.
Hello Ramya, Thanks for the health beneficial information. Can we use the pea pods for cooking or in salad?
YES- Used in FOOD, DRINKS, MOCKTAILS/COCKTAILS, DESSERTS, SALADS. We have created all of it. http://www.instagram.com/blueteaindiaNow it's available in India in Sun dried Dry Form and ensuring all it's richness is intact. +919971345205 for India and Global deliveries. We are now supplying to TAJ HOTELS India and Malvidives too.
Hi Ramya, I tried 3 flowers in 1000 ml of water, the seller told me itβs good for insomnia. And so excited to see in the internet if itβs true, then found your blog. I tried also with drops of lemon and it really turned pink (so beautiful) I have hard cough for 1 month now and I am in my 2 days of antibiotic intake. But when I drink it with a cup of water from my 1000ml with 1tbs of honey and 1 big lemon, it make me calm now from
Coughing hard. After drinking all the remaining 1000ml of water, the more i feel better. I hope with my sleepless nights of coughing, this beautiful blue butterfly pea flower will help me have a goodnight sleep tonight.
I think I have to go back to that place and buy the plant and grow for my own.
Thank you.
Is it okay for Children? If not, what age can possibly take this?
Hi is it okay for kidneys?
hello. Thanks for your blog. How often shall i drink the tea and at what time(before or after what meal?) Thank you.
Lovely photograph Ramya.im subscriber of ur YouTube channel as well.i loved the utensils u r using for the receipes n the thumbnail pictures of the videos.everything is artistic n beautiful in ur channel.thank you so much for the YouTube channel n blog.YouTube subscribers always wanna see ur in video.i just saw ur pic here as expected u r beautiful.do i need to say abt ur soothing voice .wow ππ
Thank You ::)