A magical drink does exist!
What appears to be magic is simply chemistry: the change in acidity (pH) from the lemon affects the blue colour of the butterfly pea flowers. The more lemon juice you add, the lighter and more purplish-violet it becomes.
Butterfly pea flowers grow abundantly in South East Asian countries and are commonly used as a natural food colouring in many dishes, in particular bubble teas and other beverages.
Like its bold, beautiful, blue pigment, its nutrient profile is worth mentioning. Plants with a blue to violet pigment are amazing sources of the antioxidant proanthocyanidins, which protects and promotes collagen growth and skin cell elasticity. Other antioxidants butterfly pea flowers contain are catechin EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), flavonoids, tannins and polyphenols. Antioxidants collectively mitigate inflammation, boost the immune system, and slow down the aging process.
Alongside the range of skin-health benefits of antioxidants, antioxidants protect the body from free radical damage. Free radicals are basically harmful substances that damage healthy cells. Whether they're from the toxins in the air, exposure to UV radiation, the overcooked and overly refined foods we eat, excessive drinking, smoking, chronic inflammation or stress --- just to name a few. Drinking a cup of butterfly pea tea first thing in the morning before breakfast helps the stomach "flush out toxins accumulated in the system and vastly improves digestive health" (Bharat, 2020).
In Ayurvedic medicine, it has been used for centuries to enhance memory, promote relaxation, help with stress and uplift mood. Butterfly pea tea is special in that it is caffeine-free, making it the perfect tea before bed.
When it comes to blood-sugar balancing, butterfly pea flower tea is a superfood that stands out. The anti-hyperglycemic properties of this plant come from phenolic acid, another antioxidant, which "improv[es] insulin secretion, regulat[es] glucose metabolism and prevent[s] excess absorption of sugars" (Bharat, 2020).
INGREDIENTS
2 cups filtered water + juice of 1 lemon
2.5 cups filtered water
1 Tbsp dried butterfly pea flowers (I got mines from Amazon)
5 Tbsp sweetener of choice, more if needed (I used erythritol)
optional: 1/8 tsp gold edible glitter (I got mines from Amazon)
1) Combine the 2 cups of filtered water with lemon juice. Ideally, prepare this the night before.
2) Prepare a small pot with 2.5 cups of water and add the dried butterfly pea flowers. Let simmer over low-medium heat, right before it boils.
3) Remove from heat and let the flowers sit for another 2 minutes. If you let the flowers steep too long, the blue colour intensifies. (That is alright, however, the colour change from blue to purple will not be as obvious.)
4) When the pot is tolerable to touch, stir in your sweetener of choice.
5) Grab your pitcher (I had a 1-litre pitcher at hand) and pour in all the ice cubes from your ice cube tray along with the edible glitter.
6) When the butterfly pea tea is completely cooled, pour it over the lemon ice cubes and watch the colour change.
7) Serve chilled. Relax & enjoy!
Darlene's Notes & Tips:
⭐️ You can use 1/2 Tbsp of dried butterfly pea flowers to lessen the blue intensity so that the colour change is made more obvious. You can keep continue to steep the flowers until the petals turn pale.
⭐️ For sweeteners, I suggest raw honey or white sugar. For sugar-free alternatives, go for erythritol or stevia.
⭐️ If it saves you time, you can add some sweetness to the lemon ice cubes.
⭐️ Feel free to strain the lemon juice and flower petals/leaves before serving.
⭐️ Little goes a long way with the edible glitter.
References
Bharat, D. (2020, November 2). Blue Tea: Unbelievable Health Benefits Of This Butterfly Pea Flower Infusion. Netmeds. https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/blue-tea-unbelievable-health-benefits-of-this-butterfly-pea-flower-infusion.
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