A Refreshing Blue Butterfly Tea Recipe with Honey and Lemon - Perfect for Spring!
I'm always rooting for incorporating more natural, earthy goodness into our diets. There must be a reason why mother nature blesses us with so many gorgeous plants and flowers!
I recently discovered Butterfly Pea Flower Tea, and yes, it is as tasty, pretty, and wonderful as the name itself!
This unique tea is made from the bright blue petals from the butterfly-pea plant and has been used for centuries in South East Asia in herbal tea drinks and cooking.
The flower dissolves into this gorgeous deep blue color when steeped in hot water. Making it fantastic to use as a natural dye and to add color to various foods, drinks, and textiles. Keep reading to learn more about it and see the NEW beautiful Ball® Rose Vintage jars.
This post is sponsored by the makers of Ball® home canning products.*
The Magic of Blue Butterfly Pea Flower
What I find the most intriguing about butterfly pea flower tea or extract is that it changes color when the pH balance of the drink changes!
The tea's already beautiful signature deep blue color will turn purple when mixed with lemon juice. And when you mix it with fuchsia roselle hibiscus, it will turn into a bright red color.
How fun is that?!
It's magic happening right in front of your eyes! And the possibilities for delicious spring drinks using this amazing flower are endless!
Blue butterfly pea flower tea has a delicate woody and earthy flavor with a light floral taste and a slightly sweet aroma.
It is very refreshing and not as intense as some other herbal teas. The blue butterfly tea is lovely when mixed with lemon, honey, chamomile, or lemongrass.
Blue butterfly pea flower tea can be enjoyed as a hot or cold drink, and it makes a yummy ice tea, especially for spring and summer!
To make a brew, you need dried butterfly pea flowers, butterfly pea flower powder, or the fresh flowers themselves.
The thing is, it's tough (and almost impossible) to get the fresh flowers outside South East Asia! So dried flowers of powder it will have to be!
fresh Butterfly pea flowers
Blue Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Benefits
As I mentioned earlier, I love eating (and drinking) from the earth, as the benefits are so many!
Butterfly pea flowers are rich in antioxidants, including ternatins, kaempferol, p-coumaric acid, and anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are the antioxidants responsible for the unique blue color!
These antioxidants in Blue Butterfly Pea Tea:
Contain cancer-fighting properties,
Stimulate immune function,
Have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral effects, which may help protect against diseases,
Are beneficial for promoting hair and skin health,
May block the synthesis of fat cells in your body, promoting weight loss,
Can reduce blood sugar and insulin levels.
I added lemon and honey to this spring drink for added freshness, sweetness, and of course, a beautiful purple color!
Not only will the butterfly pea flowers increase your antioxidant intake, but the lemon and honey will make this tasty ice tea a healthy bomb with a triple dose of goodness!
High-quality, non-processed honey contains essential bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids, that have many health benefits including:
Help ease and soothe an ongoing cough.
Reduce the risk of heart disease.
Relieve gastrointestinal tract conditions such as diarrhea.
Offer antidepressant and anti-anxiety benefits.
The pulp, rind, and juice of lemons also offer many benefits, including:
Being rich in vitamins that strengthen our immunity and reduce the risk of diseases.
The soluble dietary fiber in lemon aids also helps with healthy digestion.
The plant compounds and fiber support heart health and lower cholesterol.
The citric acid found in lemons can help prevent kidney stones.
Spring Inspired Blue Butterfly Tea Recipe
Serve this super fun, tasty and refreshing drink at your next spring breakfast or lunch party! The colors are so gorgeous, the drink itself could be part of the table decor!
Or pour the brewed butterfly pea flower tea over slices of lemon while your guests are watching and let them see the incredible color change! It would be like a little theatrical show!
My favorite way to serve this is in Ball® Rose Vintage jars! There's just something about a mason jar that embodies spring, gatherings, and fun times! It always adds a relaxed, playful twist to your ambiance, tablescape, or party decor.
If you want to add a little something extra special add some cocktail sugar to the rim of the jar!
Recipe below!
INGREDIENTS:
6 Ball® Rose Vintage jars
2 Tbs Butterfly Tea Flower
3 Lemons
6 tsp honey
1 Pint of fresh raspberries and strawberries
Cocktail Sugar for glass rim ( optional)
Ice cubes ( You can freeze the raspberries into ice cubes along with some butterfly tea flowers for beautiful ice cubes)
DIRECTIONS:
Boil 2 Tbs Butterfly Tea Flower in 2 cups of water. Steep for 20 min or so. Let it cool down completely to room temperature.
Pour into a 48-ounce pitcher and fill the rest with cold water.
Dip the Ball(R) Rose Vintage Jar in the cocktail sugar.
Add fresh raspberries and strawberries to the bottom of each jar.
Squeeze 1/2 lemon into the bottom of each jar.
Add 3-4 ice cubes to each jar.
Fill each jar with your steeped Butterfly tea.
Add a tsp of honey to each jar.
Mix and ENJOY!
SHOP THIS POST
I hope you enjoy this super refreshing tea this spring and summer to come! I’m sure you will!
For more fun, healthy spring and summer drinks, try some of my other favorites:
Garden Fresh Springtime Lemonade
If you are looking for more Ball® Home Canning Recipes take a look at the most delicious recipe below. You can always find more recipes here on my blog or on the Fresh Preserving Site.
Low Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam
Love, Annette xx
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