Blue butterfly pea flower tea gets its colour from anthocyanins — powerful antioxidants that also explain its mood-lifting, brain-supporting reputation.
Source: https://nevisan.in/journal/blue-butterfly-pea-flower-tea
February 2026 · Nevisan Tea Journal
Blue butterfly pea flower tea gets its colour from anthocyanins — powerful antioxidants that also explain its mood-lifting, brain-supporting reputation.
Blue butterfly pea flower tea is made from the dried petals of Clitoria ternatea, a plant native to Southeast Asia and parts of India. The flowers produce a vivid cobalt-blue infusion unlike anything else in the plant world. When blended with green tea, as in Nevisan’s Blue Flower Green, the result is a cup that’s visually striking and nutritionally interesting — not just a novelty drink for social media.
The blue colour comes from anthocyanins, a class of flavonoid antioxidants also found in blueberries and red cabbage. These pigments are pH-sensitive, which is why adding lemon juice to blue butterfly pea tea shifts it from blue to violet to pink. The science behind the colour change is simple acid-base chemistry — the anthocyanins acting as natural indicators responding to the acidity of the liquid.
Research into butterfly pea flower is still developing, but early studies suggest its anthocyanins may support cognitive function, reduce oxidative stress, and have mild anti-anxiety effects. Some research points to proanthocyanidins in the flower helping with skin elasticity and eye health.
When blue butterfly pea is paired with a light green tea base, you get the grassy, umami notes of green tea alongside the subtly earthy, almost woody flavour of the flower. Look for blends where the green tea is whole-leaf and the flower petals are actually visible.