With its striking colorful flowers, the Blue Ternate plant is indeed an attractive sight in anyone’s garden. But there’s more to these eye-catching blooms than meets the eye.

Blue Ternate and its origin

Known for its butterfly-shaped, vibrant blue flowers, Blue Ternate (Clitoria ternatea) has been utilized for centuries in Southeast Asian countries for its medicinal properties. Surprisingly this famed plant does not belong to the tea family or the Theaceae but to the family of legumes called Fabaceae (or also known as Leguminosae). Some call it Blue-pea, Cordofan Pea, Asian Pigeon Wings, Butterfly Pea and Blue Bell Vine. It is used as an herbal concoction and as a vegetable for cooking Asian traditional dishes.

Even before I started drinking Blue Ternate tea, I knew that its flowers are edible because I saw it a few times in some dishes like vegetable salads, steamed rice meals and ice cream mixes. Well I thought it was just some sort of decoration and coloring material for food, but I was wrong.

My Blue Ternate journey

            When I was in college, I used to consume loads of caffeine and sweets just to meet the demands of my hectic schedule. As a result, aside from being stressed, I began having sleeping problems too. I tried synthetic medicines and supplements but I was afraid of the side effects, thus I decided to resort to something organic. One day, my cousin, a Crop Science major, brought me three potted seedlings at school. He told me that it will grow beautiful blue flowers and I can make tea from it. He also shared some good news – this tea can help me get rid of my sleepless nights. And that’s how my Blue Ternate journey began.

Blue ternate: There’s more than meets the eye

What is Blue ternate and how can it help you? Blue ternate isn’t only unique because of its blue color when made into tea, it is also a good source of antioxidants. Throughout history, this beneficial plant played an important role in traditional medicine and is widely used as an antistress therapy, as an antidepressant, anticonvulsant and as a memory enhancer. Recent studies show that it is also loaded with peptides and flavonoids that promise a wide range of health benefits. Because of its anti-aging properties, the extract of these vibrant blue flowers can help your body’s revitalization by rejuvenating your skin, preventing baldness and premature greying of hair, and maintaining healthy eyesight. Blue ternate is also a diuretic which promotes normal urination. This was proven true by a family friend who drinks this tea for more than a year already.

My parents are also Blue ternate tea lovers for more than 3 years now. My dad said that it helps him sleep well at night. While drinking a hot cup of this tea every morning about 30 minutes before breakfast makes my mom feel relaxed. My mom’s friend also suggested that I should try drinking this tea whenever my monthly girl thing comes. It did help ease my stomach cramps. I’ve also read few articles in the Internet which says that Blue ternate is a natural analgesic. That seems to be true in my case, thus my friends started drinking this tea since then.

Blue tea to combat stress and blow blues away

Financial problems, pressure at work or school, diseases and ill-fated relationships are just few of the leading reasons why most people are stressed today. As technology advances, life gets more complicated and the stress rate in every part of the world also increases. We do our daily struggle in order to keep pace with these changes. How about you? Are you struggling in this complex world feeling stressed? Unfortunately, once this happens, other health problems start to sprout like mushrooms.

Personally, another thing that I love the most with Blue ternate tea is the calming effect that it gives me whenever I’m stressed. Though my study table is filled with piles of papers and books, I can still relax by taking a sip of my Blue ternate Iced Tea. Yes, aside from its refreshing effect, it is also packed with lots of health benefits.

Why spend too much money on expensive medicinal beverages when you can also combat stress in a healthy and natural way? Try Blue ternate tea so you can blow those bad vibes away.

Have a Blue tea story to share? Let us know in the comments section below.

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About the author

Micay is a private practice Agriculturist. She enjoys gardening and sometimes travelling to places where she can learn more about her passion. She is also a writer and a researcher. For her, writing is one of the best ways where she can express herself as well as share the wonderful things that she has learned.