Did you know that the flowers of the Butterfly Pea change colour when exposed to different liquids and heat? Thanks to its pH sensitivity, the butterfly pea reacts to acidic and hot liquids. This way you can make tea drinks full of mystery, lively smoothies, exciting cocktails and many other mystical things. Let’s take a closer look at this magical plant!
What kind of a plant is the Butterfly Pea?
Butterfly Pea is a plant native to Asia that loves tropical climates. The plant is adorned with striking purplish-blue flowers, which have been used for centuries as a healing remedy in both Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Nowadays, however, the Butterfly Pea has attracted attention primarily as a natural food colouring that offers a real delight and an excitement of experimentation in the kitchen.
Butterfly Pea as a colour-changing magical plant full of surprises
Butterfly Pea is indeed a magical plant. In fact, the plant is pH-sensitive, reacting to acidic liquids. Likewise, hot water and citrus fruits promote colour change. Contact with hot water results in, for example, a cobalt blue water drink. However, if you squeeze in a little lemon juice, the water turns purple. Hibiscus petals in the drink, on the other hand, turn it into a fuchsia pink. The drink turns blue again when it comes into contact with baking soda. By using these simple tips, you can enjoy really eye-catching food and drinks and lots of colour!
5 exciting ways to use Butterfly Pea flowers
Butterfly pea flowers are neutral in flavour and do not dominate when added to food or drink. Rather, the flowers slightly resemble the taste of the green tea. For this reason, the flowers of Butterfly Pea are perfect for decorating various dishes. Here are 5 ways to get inspired with Butterfly Pea flowers:
1) Add to your morning lemon water
Add an inspiration to your mornings with Butterfly Pea flowers and enjoy a bright purple drink instead of the usual lemon water enhancing a healthy glass of water with both: a vibrant colour and health-giving properties. To make blue lemon water, soak the flowers in hot water for a few minutes. Then remove the flowers, add cold water and lemon juice and your bright morning drink is ready!
2) Make a magical lemonade
Let the magical flowers surprise you and make a healthy, refreshing and antioxidant-rich lemonade! To make this bright drink, you need:
- 1-2 tablespoons of butterfly pea flowers
- 2 cups of water
- 50 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 40 g of blueberries
- 40 g of black currants
- lemon slices
- honey
- sparkling water to your liking
- ice
To make the lemonade, do as follows:
Boil still water in a pot. Then turn off the heat and add the Butterfly Pea flowers. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes and then take the flowers out of the liquid. Leave the tea to cool down for 2 hours. When the drink has cooled to at least room temperature, stir in the lemon juice and honey. When serving, put some berries at the bottom of the glass and pour half a glass of Butterfly Pea flower drink. Then add the ice cubes, and finally pour in desired amount of your favourite sparkling water. Enjoy!
3) Make blue ice cubes
Imagine the surprise in the eyes of your guests when you bring blue or purple ice cubes instead of the classic clear ones! To make coloured ice cubes, do this: Let the Butterfly Peas flowers soak in hot water for 2 minutes. Then remove the flowers and let it cool down for a few minutes. Pour the cooled water into ice cube moulds and place in the freezer to harden. Serve the coloured cubes with a drink of your choice.
4) Use as a natural food colouring
Prepare blue sushi, purple noodles, bake a blue bread, or make a space-blue smoothie – just let your imagination fly!
5) Mix into cocktails
Make a blue or purple drink instead of a classic mojito, for example, and try out some other exciting things!
A beautiful look and a great superfood treat too
Thanks to the rich antioxidant content, Butterfly Pea flowers help to boost immunity and to support the body’s overall resistance. Butterfly Pea also has a calming effect on the body, helping to improve concentration and reduce anxiety. And if you are suffering from hair loss, you can also find help from Butterfly Pea, as the bioflavonoids contained in the flowers of Butterfly Pea are beneficial for hair growth.
Get Butterfly Pea flowers from Centralsun online shop
Dried Butterfly Pea flowers are waiting for you in our online shop. The brightly coloured flowers are 100% natural, free of additives and suitable for both health and beauty. The flowers are packed in 25 gram packages. Try it yourself and let the power of nature surprise you!
Get Butterfly Pea flowers HERE.