Blue Tea – Benefits, Side Effects, Everything You Need to Know
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When you think of tea, chances are that an image of a black or brown colored drink would pop up in your mind. However, there is another type of tea that has an electric blue color, can change colors, and has zero caffeine.
What is Blue Tea? Originating from South East Asia, blue tea has been around for centuries, derived from the Clitoria ternatea plant, also called the butterfly-blue pea, blue-pea, or Asian pigeonwings. It’s recently gained popularity due to its many health benefits. This caffeine-free, herbal blue tea is actually a tisane
The butterfly blue pea flowers are infused in hot water to give this rich, bright-colored, floral smelling blue tea. So it’s actually a Tisane; a herbal concoction made from the infusion of leaves or herbs.
What sets this bright-colored beverage apart is its mesmerizing color and its extraordinary ability to change color, like a mood ring, with a change in PH.
Just adding a few drops of lemon juice transforms the blue colored blue tea into the most magnificent purple color. Mix in a few hibiscus leaves and you end up with a gorgeous red tea.
Blue tea touts a number of health benefits, making it not only pleasing to the eyes, but also a healthy drink.
If you’re looking to just buy some really good blue tea, then check out my recommendation on Amazon, it’s a 100% Naturally Dried Blue Tea.
Seeing how few people are aware of blue tea, one might believe that it is a recent discovery. However, this bright-colored beverage has long been a part of the culture of Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, and Malaysia.
Originating from South East Asia, blue tea, unlike other teas isn’t derived from the Camellia Sinensis (tea plant).
As mentioned, instead, blue tea is derived from the Clitoria ternatea plant, also referred to as the butterfly-blue pea, blue-pea, or Asian pigeon wings. The shape of the flowers of Clitoria ternatea was believed to resemble female human genitals, hence the name “Clitoria” from “Clitoris”.
The butterfly pea plant is a native to South Asia and is part of the Fabaceae pea family. The blue tea plant, butterfly blue pea, has been used for ages for dyeing, cooking, and making cosmetics.
Blue tea is made from a combination of dried butterfly pea flowers and lemongrass. The earthy flavored Blue tea, mixed with lemon and honey, is commonly enjoyed post-dinner, in spas, or as a refreshment in Thailand and Vietnam.
This drink, known as the ‘Nam Dok Anchan’ tea is often flavored with mint, cinnamon, ginger and passion fruit, and enjoyed both hot and cold.
The Malaysians use blue tea plant to make their popular dish, Nasi Kerabu. Nasi Kerabu is a Malay rice dish in which blue colored rice is eaten with fried fish or chicken, salad, pickles, and crackers.
The Malaysians also use blue tea plant for preparing their traditional dessert – kuih or kueh. Most popularly though, it is used to create a “mood ring” cocktail; ice cubes of blue tea are added in this cocktail, which then changes color from bright blue to a vivid purple as the ice cubes dissolve.
Health Benefits of Blue Tea
While I would happily drink blue tea solely for its gorgeous color, Blue tea has more to it apart from its bright color.
Recent studies have shown blue tea to offer various health benefits, including immune boosting properties, improved cognitive ability, and weight loss.
Blue tea has long been a part of Ayurveda and, as published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology “it has been used for centuries as a memory enhancer, nootropic, antistress, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, tranquilizing and sedative agent.”
It seems that blue tea is just waiting to take the health world by storm. Here’s the quick list of benefits…
Weight Loss
All Natural Paracetamol
Beneficial for Eye Health
Combats the effects of Diabetes
Zero Caffeine
Good for Heart Health
Packed full of Antioxidants
Anti Aging Properties
Combats premature hair loss / Male Pattern baldness
Effective against Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
Overall Brain Health
Anti Inflammatory Properties
Blue Tea Is Effective for Weight Loss
With increasing awareness regarding the health risks associated with obesity, more and more people are looking for ways to lose weight and stay fit. Drinking teas for weight loss have been quite a trend and it seems like blue tea might just be the new weight loss tea.
According to one study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, blue tea helps with weight loss by preventing and fighting against fatty liver disease.
Fatty liver disease is responsible for causing weight gain, especially in the belly area. Blue tea helps burn belly fat by protecting against fatty liver disease.
The hero compound in blue tea is the catechin EGCG, epigallocatechin gallate, which speeds up the calorie-burning process by boosting the metabolism a boost. Studies have found blue tea to contain higher levels of the compound EGCG in comparison to other teas, making it a potent weight loss drink.
Antioxidants found in blue tea have shown anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties which help it detoxify the body and help shed water weight accumulated due to water retention. Enjoy a cup of this gorgeous colored drink post meals to detoxify and boost your metabolism.
blue tisane herbs
Blue Tea Is an All-Natural Paracetamol
If you are down with a fever with nothing but blue tea nearby you need not worry because you have an all-natural Paracetamol.
Findings from the journal phytomedicine revealed that blue tea was shown to have antipyretic properties and mimic effects similar to that of Paracetamol, a pain reliever, and a fever reducer.
According to one investigation, blue tea extract, when given in doses ranging from 200- 400 milligrams, was shown to significantly reduce the body temperature for up to five hours of ingesting the extract.
Blue tea helps reduce fever by causing blood vessels underneath the skin to expand; this cools the blood by increasing the blood flow and reducing the temperature.Blue Tea Is Beneficial for Eye Health
Blue tea is also referred to as “Bunga Telang”, which means “clear vision”, is highly beneficial for maintaining strong and healthy eyes.
The people of Bali use blue tea as a natural remedy to treat eye ailments. The beverage is also quite popular in Indonesia for the same reason.
The blue tea plant, Clitoria Ternatea, is packed with health-boosting antioxidants. One such antioxidant is proanthocyanidin, which is responsible for increasing blood flow to the capillaries of the eyes.
This makes blue tea effective in treating retinal damage, glaucoma, or blurred vision.
Blue Tea Is Effective Against Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
If a long day at work increases your stress and anxiety, blue tea is for you. Blue tea has been used as a stress reliever since ancient times and has an adaptogenic effect on your body in reducing stress.
Antioxidants found in blue tea have been shown to lift the most moods and relax the nerves, enabling a good night’s sleep. According to one study, published in the journal Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior, blue tea has been shown to have a positive impact on the central nervous system (CNS) of mice.
The study also revealed that blue tea has been found effective against depression, stress, and anxiety. So, grab a cup of blue tea that is not only pleasing to the eyes but also calming for the nerves.
Blue Tea May Be Effective for Diabetics
Diabetes has been directly responsible for 1.6 million deaths in 2016. While we still don’t have a cure for it, research reveals that the color-changing blue tea is actually effective for diabetics in keeping their sugar levels in check and curing type II diabetes.
Taking a cup of blue tea between meals has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and lower blood glucose levels. Blue tea inhibits excess glucose absorption from food and, hence, helps keep blood sugar levels in check.
According to a study conducted on diabetic rats, published in the Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science, blue tea extract was found to considerably reduce their serum glucose levels and increase their body weight.
The study concluded that blue tea extract showed anti-diabetic properties similar to that of glibenclamide, an anti-diabetic drug.
Blue Tea Is Good for Heart Health
Blue tea is packed with antioxidants that not only protect you from infections but are also beneficial for keeping your heart in a good shape.
Studies have found Blue tea to be effective in lowering high cholesterol levels-a major risk factor for heart disease. Blue tea has been shown to protect against heart diseases by curbing Hyperlipidemia. Hyperlipidemia refers to an abnormally high concentration of lipids or fats in the blood.
It is also responsible for a number of heart diseases including blockage, blood clotting, and heart attack. According to a 2010 Pharmaceutical Biology study, butterfly pea extract, when taken with the herb Vigna mungo, lowered serum total cholesterol by a considerable amount.
It also showed a significant reduction in triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.
Blue Tea Is Packed with Antioxidants and Has No Caffeine
Why go for supplements when you can get all the antioxidants you need in blue tea?
Blue tea is packed with health-boosting antioxidants; in fact, it is the only tisane whose antioxidant levels are comparable to green tea. Free radicals are responsible for chronic inflammation, low immunity, and a number of other diseases, including cancer.
Antioxidant, called Proanthocyanidin, found in blue tea provides protection against oxidative damage done to cells by free radicals. Cyclotidesfound in Blue tea is free-radical fighting peptides.
And as if that’s not all… Blue tea is also rich in flavonoids that boost the immune system and fight off diseases.
Furthermore, blue tea has also been shown to behave as an expectorant and helps provide relief from cough and asthma.
A big pro of blue tea is that you can get the calming benefits of tea without the jitters caused by caffeine. Since blue tea isn’t made from the Camilla Sinensis plant, it has no caffeine.
This means you can enjoy another cup of blue tea without feeling guilty.
Blue Tea Promotes Anti-Ageing
Having clear, blemish-free, youthful-looking skin is everyone’s dream. Blue tea is packed with antioxidants that are great for your hair and skin and prevent premature aging by fighting free radicals.
Blue tea contains the compound Anthocyanin which increases blood flow in the scalp and strengthens the hair follicles. The people of Thailand have been using the blue tea plant, Butterfly Pea herb, for centuries for treating
Premature Greying and Male Pattern Baldness
The skin shows signs of aging by a protein-damaging process called glycation. Blue tea has anti-glycation properties, meaning that it inhibits the process of glycation and keeps your skin looking youthful.
Elastin and collagen are important compounds that maintain youthful-looking skin by preventing wrinkles and maintaining skin elasticity.
Flavonoids found in blue tea have been shown to increase collagen and skin elasticity. One such flavonoid found in blue tea is Quercetin, which strengthens hair and skin cells, and retains hydration in skin cells.
Blue Tea Is Good for Brain Health
Blue tea has also been linked with good overall brain health. A research concluded that the antioxidants found in blue tea boost brain power, increase cognitive skill and memory, and are good for the central Nervous system (CNS).
Animal studies have shown that blue tea extract to enhance memory, cure depression, calm the nerves, and increase cognitive ability. However, much research is still needed on the subject.
One research found that blue tea extract, in a dosage of 50 to 100mg/ kg, increased memory in rats over the course of 30 days.
Another study found out that the extract from the root of the blue tea plant was more potent than the leaves or stem extract. Acetylcholine is a compound responsible for effective communication between nerve cells. With age acetylcholine levels decline, causing memory loss and other brain-related issues.
Blue tea contains Acetylcholine and regular consumption of blue tea can prevent memory loss, increase memory and cognitive skills. Grab a cup of blue tea and give your brain a boost.
Blue Tea Possesses Anti-Inflammatory Properties
According to a study, published in the “International Research Journal of Pharmacy”, the antioxidant content in blue tea is high enough to fight against disease-causing inflammation.
The high amount of antioxidants present in blue tea is responsible for its anti-inflammatory properties, which not only help reduce inflammation but also protect against a number of chronic diseases.
Blue tea extracts also exhibit anesthetic properties and as such has been used for ages to provide relief from pain and swelling. Blue tea has been shown to be equally effective in treating both external and internal inflammations.
Blue Tea Side Effects
There are no known side effects of blue tea, it is known to be extremely safe and super healthy to consume. However, over-consumption of Blue tea may cause nausea and diarrhea. Also, pregnant and lactating women are also advised to consult their doctor before drinking blue tea.