The leaves of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) are used to make caffeine-free herbal tea, among other things. The butterfly pea is also known as Kittelbloem, Butterfly pea flower, Blue pea, Asian pigeonpea and Bluechai.
Butterfly pea is associated with a beneficial effect on your blood circulation, immune system, bladder function and memory. This antioxidant powerhouse is also said to keep your skin healthy. It is also said to be good for your eyes and for your hair.
The plant has antioxidant properties and traditional medicine practitioners use the extract to relieve fever, inflammation and pain. Traditional Ayurvedic medicine attributes memory-enhancing, anti-stress, anti-depressant and sedative properties to these flowers, among others. Traditional Chinese medicine assumes that this plant has properties that affect the female libido because of its external resemblance to the female reproductive organ.
In addition to tea and culinary uses, manufacturers and scientists alike have cultivated the Kittel flower for a wide range of agricultural and medical applications. Products include cosmetics, food colouring, pharmacological agents and even an environmentally friendly insecticide.
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