Description
In Ayurveda, a holistic system of medicine that’s been practiced for India for thousands of years, Butterfly Pea Flower tea is called Anchan tea. It’s used in devotional ceremonies to represent protection, love and peace. It’s associated with the powerful Hindu goddess named Aparajita (whose name means “the undefeated one”).
In addition to having spiritual significance, Butterfly Pea Flower is full of compounds, including antioxidants (such as anthocyanin) as well as pigments that allow it to naturally color foods and beverages.
Butterfly Pea Flower (Clitoria ternatea) is a plant native to Southeast Asia that’s commonly used in tea. You can also find relatives that are identical growing in other parts of the world such as Central and South America. It’s sometimes also called Blue Butterfly Pea tea or Blue Clitoria.
Butterfly Pea Flower tea is also used for beauty purposes, contributing to healthy-looking skin, hair and eyes. Its rich blue color is utilized as a natural dye. It’s sometimes combined with water plus an acidic ingredient, such as lemon, which changes the pH of water, so its color changes from blue to violet. Give it a try it’s actually amazing!