Popularly, Asia uses butterfly pea flower tea to lead to several health benefits such as weight loss, blood sugar regulation and hair and skin care. It is very popular in cocktails and used in cosmetics and as a component of herbal tea blends butterfly pea flower is an ingredient with a beautiful blue color. It is possible that you have come across the butterfly pea flower in the health and diet discussions. Research on the plant has also in the recent past focussed on the antioxidants and the healthy value of the plant.
Specifically, there are some publications that present the positive effects of the BPMF consumption: skin and hair health, weight loss, and a demote of glycemia. This article will review few important effects and unwanted consequences of using butterfly pea flower and the way it can be used.
What is a butterfly pea flower?
The butterfly pea, which is also called Asian pigeonwings in scientific classification, is termed as Clitoris Ternatea. Perhaps, you know it by the large beautiful blue flowers.
It also contains a good number of anthocyanins, the antioxidant that gives the beverage its distinctive hue. Due to this, manufactures may incorporate butterfly pea flower in beauty products or incorporate in foods, drinks, and textiles as a natural colorant.
They are also used in the preparation of herbal tea where other additional materials such as lemongrass, honey among others are added to make the tea. Indeed the change in the desired acidity causes the change of color with regard to the pea flower tea.
This quality has made the butterfly pea flower a bridge and common ingredient among barmen preparing craft cocktails It is also medicinal as it is related to a number of possible health benefits.
Ways through which butterfly pea flower is nutritious
The coloured structures of the plant, mainly the butterfly pea flowers consist of anthocyanin compounds referred to as ternatins.
The in vitro trials thus show that ternatins have anti-inflammatory action and that they may inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells.
Additionally, the plant contains several other antioxidants, including:
Kaempferol. It has been profiled in relation to cancer mainly because of this compound. It is suggested that it could eliminate cancer cells in test-tube experiments.
p-Coumaric acid. Some analysis indicated that p-coumaric acid could show anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antiviral activity and may be beneficial against diseases.
Delphinidin-3,5-glucoside. Colorectal cancer Base on one of the studies, this antioxidant may have an ability to activate the immune function and induce cancer cell death.
Benefits of the butterfly pea flower to human health
Thus, the butterfly pea flowers might be linked to several benefits to health.
Increases skin and hair care
Currently, cosmetic builders sing to the heavens about the ability of butterfly pea flowers in serums to hair mists and shampoos among others.
A 2021 review also reveals that butterfly pea extract can enhance skin transdermal hydration by 70% one hour after application.
In a 2012 experiment with animals it was concluded that Butterfly pea extract can be more potent than minoxidil one of the most used products in the market to combat hair loss.
Butterfly pea flower is choked with a lot of antioxidants which can also aid the covering of hair and skin.
Nevertheless, additional investigations with the butterfly pea flower are necessary to ascertain the potential impact of the flower’s compounds on your hair and skin.
May promote weight loss
It is also important to note that other research conducted implies that this flower is helpful when it comes to losing weight.
There is a test-tube study which has implied that this is due to its effect on the formation of new fat cells where butterfly pea flower extract restricts the necessary signals which enable cell progress.
Several older test-tube and animal research studies have indicated that Ternatins present in butterfly pea flower can also inhibit your body’s production of fat cells.
More studies are required to determine the effect of butterfly pea flower on your body weight, particularly if it will be incorporated as a food supplement.
What adverse effects of butterfly pea flower are known to date?
As a rule, nutritionists do not consider BF to be unsafe when consumed moderately.
Seven reported potential side effects related with the consumption of butterfly pea flower include nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea for which no research rises to the occasion.
Hence, butterfly pea flower or other herb products should not be taken unless a person has consulted a doctor especially if the person is suffering from other ailments or is on other medication.
The study on uses of butterfly pea flower
Butterfly pea flower has being used in many makeups such as hair mists, toners for the skin, shampoo and face masks.
Another method by not eatable is to prepare a tea from the plant in this tea is characteristically earthen in taste and has a blue hue.
How to prepare butterfly pea flower tea or better known as “blue tea” is to steep 1 teaspoon of this dried flowers in one cup of hot water.
Allow the tea to steep and garnish the dried flowers for at least 10 to 15 minutes then you can strain out the dried flowers. Can be consume hot or preferably chill and garnished with ice.
You can also also use a little bit of lemon juice, lime juice, even honey if you want to make the flavor much richer. The presence of natural acids in the citrus fruits will also give the drink a deep purple color because of the terrains present in the plant.
Conclusion
The blue butterfly common use in food crops is precise and known as Clitoris Ternatea and is common use in Asia for health reasons and improvement purposes. It is employ in the preparations of teas, cocktails and cosmetic products because of its cyanidin anthocyanin compounds responsible for the blue hue.
Some of the nutrients that it is believed to contain include those that serve as antioxidants hence helping in skin and hair health, it also assists in shedding of weight and in the regulation of blood sugar levels.
In general, butterfly pea flower is a rich source of several potential health benefits that can positively impact consumers’ health.
Disclaimer: All the content presented concerning butterfly pea flower is pure informative and it should not be used as a medical advice. Before adopting any novel dietary supplement or a drastic change in one’s nutritional plan, it is advisable to seek medical advice especially if one has a prior medical condition or is on other forms of medication. The details of the benefits and side effects of butterfly pea flower are derived from the current study; however, the impact varies from person to person.
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