Butterfly Pea Flower
The butterfly pea flower is an interesting and somewhat exotic flower, which is originally native to parts of Asia. The beautiful flower actually comes from a herb, and it grows in many different locations, though it tends to be trailing or scrambling for the most part. It is renowned for its many supposed medicinal qualities and properties, and many people grow or use the plant as such. It is often made into a tea to treat various conditions, and it is said to be therapeutic against anxiety and depression. This article discusses:
- Information About the Butterfly Pea Flower
- Using the Butterfly Pea Flower as Tea
- How to Find and Purchase Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
The butterfly pea flower has many different uses in its native Asia. There, people have been cultivating it for a long time and for a variety of applications. It can be used as dye for clothing and fabrics, for example. It is also often used in food or cooking. The flower is sometimes grown in plantations as it helps the quality of the soil to be improved. It is used in some parts of Asia as a fodder crop as well. For the most part, the flower grows well in humid and hot conditions, which resemble the parts of Asia that it is native to. However, it is said to also grow well in areas with less rainfall than it typically needs, making it a fairly hardy/resilient plant.
Various parts of the butterfly pea flower can be used in food or cooking. The pods themselves can be eaten if not fully developed, and many in Asia use them as a kind of vegetable. The leaves can also be eaten, and often also are as a type of vegetable. Some use the leaves for cosmetic or visual effect, like to dye rice. The flowers themselves are often also used in the same way, as they color foods like rice blue. Butterfly pea flowers do not need to be cultivated for the most part, as they spread their own seeds around readily. They are also able to compete with weeds quite well, meaning they are not threatened too much by the growth of weeds in areas where they are also growing.
Many different parts of the butterfly pea herb have medicinal uses and applications. Different parts of the plant are used to treat different ailments or conditions. The flower itself is mixed with water, and this preparation is said to be able to treat eye problems. The roots can be used as a diuretic, or in order to make people purge if this is thought to be needed. The whole plant is also sometimes used as a treatment for snake bites, though it is not known how effective this is.
Using Butterfly the Pea Flower as Tea
It is becoming more and more common and popular now to drink butterfly pea flower in tea form. The tea is a rich blue color, thanks to the natural dye found in the petals of the flower, and this makes it a visually impressive experience for those who drink or make it. It is often combined with other plants like lemongrass in order to make the tea more palatable and interesting, as well as potentially adding other benefits that the flower alone cannot give. Lemongrass is thought to be useful in helping people relax, for example, so it is often an ingredient used in teas in general.
Butterfly pea flower tea is also thought to have a myriad of health benefits. In both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, the plant is thought of as powerfully medicinal and curative against a huge array of ailments and illnesses. It is true that the plant contains powerful and rare compounds which have been found to combat serious and deadly illnesses like cancer and HIV, but it is not known how helpful the plant is when taken as a tea in preventing or actually treating such illnesses. Nevertheless, it can’t hurt to indulge in a cup every now and then to promote good health and wellbeing!
Research done on the butterfly pea flower has shown that it is beneficial for the brain in several ways. It has demonstrated a considerable effect in reducing stress and anxiety, as well as boosting brain performance in general, especially with regards to memory and recall. Cognition has also shown to have been enhanced by the plant in these studies. Does this mean the tea can help you ace your exams? Maybe! It can be bought in a variety of forms, like powder, a liquid extract, and a regular dried tea. The type that you purchase depends on how strong you want the tea to be, and what kind of flavor or taste you want. Many of the teas are mixed with other plants, for example, so they offer a different taste profile to plain butterfly pea flower tea.
Preparations of butterfly pea flower tea also vary from culture to culture, and they can taste quite different depending on what you make with the plant. In Thailand, it is typical to make the tea very sweet, for example. They often also serve it combined or blended somehow with a type of citrus, like lemon or lime. This balances with the sugar in the drink and makes it a refreshing and soothing beverage. The tea is often also served after dinner with honey and lemon in countries like Vietnam, as it is said to promote relaxation and good sleep. Butterfly pea flower tea’s color actually changes quite dramatically, depending on what else is in the drink, which makes for a fascinating visual experience.
How to Find and Purchase Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
Butterfly pea flower tea can be found quite easily in Asian markets, as well as bought online in all different kinds of forms and preparations. There are retailers that specialize in organic or exotic food, and these are your best bet when looking for a product like butterfly pea flower tea.
