Health Benefits of Butterfly Pea: The Power of Clitoria Ternata
- victoria ward
- Sep 30, 2024
- 2 min read
What is Butterfly Pea?
Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternata) is a perennial plant and member of the pea (Fabaceae) family, highly regarded for its value as a fodder crop, soil improver, food colourant and medicinal plant.
This beautiful flower can be found in tropical and sub-tropical regions such as Indonesia where the wonderful blue colour it produces has been used for many years as a dye and food/beverage colourant.
Traditionally Butterfly Pea has been used in ancient medical systems such as Ayurvedic Medicine, often used for cognitive benefits as a nootropic herb.
Other benefits associated with Butterfly Pea include (1)-
Diuretic
Anti-asthmatic
Anti-inflammatory
Analgesic
Anti-pyretic
Antioxidant
The wonderful blue colour produced by this flower is due to the anthocyanins present which are called ternatins.
Butterfly Pea contains flavonoids including the anthocyanin pigments which are antioxidant in action and contribute hugely to the medicinal, functional and cosmeceutical benefits of this plant (2).
Traditionally Butterfly Pea has been added to foods and beverages as a natural colouring agent and enjoyed for its health-giving properties as a simple infusion. As a tea it is considered to be a calming drink and is very beautiful if served in a glass cup.
Butterfly Pea Tea/Infusion
Dried Butterfly Pea Flowers
Ingredients
One tbsp of dried Butterfly Pea flowers
250 ml of boiling water
Method
Step One
Place the dried petals into a teapot
Step Two
Pour over the boiled water and leave to infuse for 5- 7 mins
Step Three
The tea is ready once the beautiful blue colour has infused into the water
Step Four
Pour into a cup, straining if necessary and drink
How to Extract Butterfly Pea
Butterfly Pea is used as a natural food and beverage colourant, as a cosmetic additive to give colour and antioxidant skin benefits and as a medicinal plant, but how can we extract both the colour and health-giving compounds efficiently?
A simple infusion is a pleasant way to extract the colour and enjoy the effects of Butterfly Pea flowers, but the active constituents are not extracted well in alcohol like many tinctures, nor do they extract well in oil (3).
Butterfly Pea Glycerite
One of the most effective ways to extract the active compounds, including the colour-giving anthocyanins, is by extracting in glycerine. A glycerol or water/glycerol extraction can extract much higher levels of phenolic compounds and flavonoids when compared with other solvents (4).
Butterfly Pea glycerite is perfect to use in cosmetic preparations where the colour will produce striking products and the skin benefits are gained from the plant and the glycerine. The glycerite can also be used in food and beverages as a natural colourant and functional food.
Here is my Butterfly Pea glycerite in progress-
I cant wait to use it to create some beautiful skincare products!
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