About Butterfly Pea Flower Powder (Clitoria ternatea)

Nutritional Profile and Multiple Health Benefits of Butterfly Pea

Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea) is a leguminous and perennial herb and is significantly important due to its medicinal and agricultural applications. It is being used as fodder, as biological nitrogen fixation crop, as coloring agents in foods and medicine, as traditional medicine, and as an ecofriendly insecticide. It produces zygomorphic and pentamerous pea-shaped leaves with tubular calyx and five sepals. It is difficult to determine the exact geographical origin of butterfly pea but its center of diversity is known to be around or in the South China Sea, Pacific ocean, and Indian ocean.

Nutritional Profile and Phytochemical Components

This plant is known to have cinnamic acid, phenolic aglycones, flavanol glycosides, quercetin-3-glucoside, quercetin, kaempferol, kaempferol 3-robinobioside-7-rhamnoside, and kaempferol 3-glucoside, anthocyanins, and numerous other proteinaceous and non-proteinaceous components. Its seeds contain 4% linolenic acids, 51% oleic acid, 10% stearic acid, and 19% palmitic acid.  Numerous animal-based scientific studies have shown that butterfly pea offers wound healing, antioxidant, anti-arthritic, antilipidemic, antidiabetic, antipyretic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiasthmatic, nootropic, and diuretic properties. Authors have reported in many studies that these properties or activities are due to the presence of anthocyanins and flavanols. Its use has been widely reported in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes, pain, inflammation, and fever.

Culinary Uses

Its flowers are being used as culinary agents in the deserts and rice. Its flowers are also used to make tea and other beverages. Most commonly honey and lemon are also used along with the butterfly tea to enhance the flavor. Although it produces blue-colored flowers, its color is changed to pink by mixing with the carbonated mixer and this color change is primarily attributed to the change in pH.

Improved Skin, Hair, and Eyesight

Regular and optimal use of butterfly pea improves eyesight, as it is a rich source of antioxidants and helps to improve the blood flow to the capillaries of the eyes, thereby helping to treat blurred vision, tired eyes, retinal damage, and glaucoma. It also improves hair growth and reduces the graying of hair by the provision of bioflavonoids. Butterfly pea contains significant levels of antioxidants that help to stimulate elastin synthesis and collagen production. Thus, skin is rejuvenated, and the signs of aging and wrinkles are reduced.

Traditional Use as Medicine

Butterfly pea helps to reduce fever by the dilation of blood vessels below the skin. It is also helpful to reduce the severity of stress on the human body and is used to treat epilepsy. Moreover, it offers antimicrobial, antitumor, and anticancer properties and significantly plays a role to improve overall health and wellness. Furthermore, it offers antidepression, antianxiety, antiasthmatic, antidiabetic, and anti-HIV properties. Its use has been reported in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine as a calmative agent, anti-stress, brain booster, and memory enhancer.

While Butterfly Pea is also helpful for the regulation and absorption of sugar in the bloodstream and therefore it is significantly beneficial for diabetic patients. The antioxidants in the butterfly pea also help to promote digestion by helping the relaxation of stomach muscles. Whereas, some studies have also reported that optimal use of butterfly pea is also helpful for preventing worm growth in the gut.

How to use Butterfly Pea Flower Powder

We mix 1/4 tsp. with appr. 8oz water and stir it several times. By adding ice, lemon and honey you can create a refreshing drink

DISCLAIMER

Our herbal products and texts are not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any sickness. If you have a serious health problem or medicinal questions please consult a physician. Please also always consult a doctor before you wanna change your personal or medical lifestyle. Our herbal products can have positive effects on your health. The dosage information shown on our website is just a suggestion. If you have any further questions about the ingredients of our products don’t hesitate to contact us.