This tea naturally turns from cobalt blue to violet with a squeeze of lemon.
When I decided my herbal tea collection needed a Clean Nectarine blend of its own, I worked with a local tea maker to get it exactly right: Butterfly Pea flowers blended with White Tea leaves and Cornflower petals. It brews a deep cobalt blue, and with a squeeze of lemon it turns violet right in front of you. Here’s everything you need to know about butterfly pea tea, starting with what’s going on in that cup.
What Is Butterfly Pea Tea?
Butterfly Pea tea, often called blue tea, is a herbal tea made from the flowers of the Butterfly Pea flower, a climbing plant native to Southeast Asia. The flowers have been brewed for centuries across Thailand, Malaysia and India, and in Ayurveda it's been used as a memory and focus tonic. It is only recently finding its way into Australian cups, and you won’t find a blend like this one at the supermarket.
Why Does Butterfly Pea Tea Change Colour?
The colour change looks magical, but it is based on science. Butterfly Pea flowers are packed with anthocyanins, the same plant pigments that make blueberries blue and purple cabbage purple. The flower’s signature compound, ternatin, reacts to pH. So when we add anything acidic like lemon juice the blue colour shifts to a brilliant violet.
What Are the Benefits of Butterfly Pea Tea?
Butterfly Pea is rich in antioxidants: ternatins, kaempferol and p-coumaric acid, compounds researched for their role in neutralising oxidative stress. That is the strongest part of the science, and it’s why this flower keeps turning up in wellness research.
The rest is early but interesting. A 2021 study found Butterfly Pea extract improved skin hydration when applied topically, and 2024 research found a Butterfly Pea shampoo reduced dandruff, so most of the skin and hair findings are about the extract on your skin rather than the tea in your cup. A small 2018 study found a Butterfly Pea drink supported antioxidant levels and steadier blood sugar after a sugary drink, and early research on fermented Butterfly Pea drinks suggests it may support a balanced gut microbiome.
What Does Butterfly Pea Tea Taste Like?
Naturally sweet and lightly floral, with a mild, slightly earthy base and a fresh citrus twist when the lemon goes in. I love it hot, but it also makes the best-looking yummy iced tea.
Does Butterfly Pea Tea Have Caffeine?
On its own, Butterfly Pea flower is naturally caffeine-free. But my blend pairs it with White Tea leaves, so there is a gentle amount of natural caffeine in every cup, far less than a coffee, but enough to make it a daytime tea. For later in the day, my guide to making the best turmeric latte is a great caffeine-free option.
The Clean Nectarine Butterfly Pea Tea
My blend combines Butterfly Pea flowers with White Tea leaves and Cornflower petals, so the antioxidants come from three directions and the colour changes perfectly with a slice of lemon. The blend uses the whole flowers and leaves, it's made in Australia and vegan.
A word on the packaging, because I fussed over it. The pyramid tea bags are made from Soilon, a plant-based mesh made from fermented corn starch or sugarcane, fully compostable and free from plastic, and lots of room for the whole leaves to expand as they steep. The tea bags are wrapped in biodegradable NatureFlex inside a reusable cardboard cylinder.
To enjoy a cuppa, use one pyramid per cup, add freshly boiled water and steep for 5 to 7 minutes, and of course add a little squeeze or slice of lemon.
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