Blue Ternate Benefits and Uses [ Butterfly Pea, Clitoria Ternatea ]

November 18, 2021

*Blue Ternate Benefits and Uses [ Butterfly Pea, Clitoria Ternatea ]*

Top 10 Blue Ternate Benefits

Blue Ternate /Blue Ternatea ( Scientific name: Clitoria ternatea) is known for various names as Butterfly Pea, Asian Pigeon Wings, Blue Pea, Cordofan Pea, Blue Bell Vine, and Darwin pea.

It is a blue (or, in rare instances, white) flower from Southeast Asia. It is usually used as food coloring for Thai and Malay dishes and components in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Recently, the Blue Ternate is being mixed with alcohol to create “color-changing” and “illuminated” drinks.

The Clitoria Ternatea is rich in antioxidants, and this article will enumerate its medicinal properties and how it is prepared for consumption.

1. The Blue Ternate contains the antioxidant proanthocyanidin, which increases blood flow to the optic nerves. This maintains healthy eyesight and helps prevent glaucoma and other ocular ailments.

2. The bioflavonoid anthocyanin present in Blue Ternate promotes a healthy complexion and prevents baldness by inducing hair growth.

3. The Blue Ternate is classified as a nootropic substance, heightening one’s alertness and cognitive capabilities.

4. The Clitoria Ternatea is an antipyretic substance that triggers the hypothalamus and temporarily widens the blood vessels to normalize body temperature, helping cure fever.

5. The Blue Ternate has anesthetic and analgesic properties that reduce inflammation and physical pain, acting as an organic painkiller.

6. Due to it being adaptogenic, a substance that helps the body and mind resist and adapt to stress, the butterfly pea can be used as an antidepressant.

7. The Blue Ternate is an expectorant, enabling the lungs to more easily expel phlegm and other harmful and irritating substances from the lungs. This gives relief to those suffering from coughs, colds, and even asthma.

8. The Clitoria Ternatea is a natural diuretic and laxative, enabling easier passage of waste out of the body.

9. The Blue Ternate, believe it or not, can also be used as an aphrodisiac and as a remedy for infertility, menstrual cramps, and vaginal discharge.

10. Recent studies have shown that the flower can slow down aging, prevent HIV and fight certain cancers, precisely that of the skin, stomach, and lungs.

Blue Ternate Uses

Those are just some of the benefits that one gains from consuming the butterfly pea. It can also be mixed with other herbs, medicinal plants, and healthy substances to deal with bleeding, infections, and ulcers. Now that we know that it’s good for you let us move forward with the different means on how the flower is prepared for consumption or use.

The Clitoria Ternatea is either grounded into a paste or squeezed for its extract and mixed with coconut milk to form a blue or purple food coloring. The resulting substance is added to certain Thai and Malay dishes, particularly “nasi kerubu,” blue rice.
The leaves of the Clitoria Ternatea are boiled in hot water and made into tea. It has a bitter taste, similar to tea made from other leaves and herbs, but can be mixed with lime or lemon for a sweet and sour flavor.
Besides being eaten and drunk, butterfly pea paste can also be applied to the skin to maintain its complexion or cure swelling and wounds.

The Blue Ternate/ Clitoria Ternatea is indeed a healthy substance for both the mind and body, but one must always heed the phrase “all things in moderation.” According to studies, too much consumption of the butterfly pea may cause lethargy, migraines, and severe diarrhea. It is also advised not to let pregnant women partake in it due to their acute condition.

REFERENCES

E Erfan and C Cudharma, Effects of Clitoria ternatea linn. flower juice on the elasticity, texture, and pores of the denture retainer component

Prof Dr Ali Esmail Al-Snafi, Pharmacological importance of Clitoria ternatea – A review

Georgianna K. Oguis, Edward K. Gilding, Mark A. Jackson, and David J. Craik, Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea), a Cyclotide-Bearing Plant With Applications in Agriculture and Medicine, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00645