Herbal & Flower Teas

Butterfly Pea Flower Tea with Lemon and Honey

traditionally associated with supporting cognitive function, calming the mind, and boosting immunity

In short: Butterfly Pea Flower Tea with Lemon and Honey is a herbal & flower tea that traditionally associated with supporting cognitive function, calming the mind, and boosting immunity. It is most often made for sleep & calm, immune support. Total time about 10 min. Key ingredients: lemon slices, honey.

Prep
5 min
Cook
5 min
Total
10 min
Makes
1–2 servings
Butterfly Pea Flower Tea with Lemon and Honey

Why people make this tea

Butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea) has been used for centuries in Southeast Asian and Ayurvedic wellness traditions, and it has recently gained widespread attention in the West — partly for its extraordinary colour-changing property (the deep blue tea turns vivid purple the moment you add anything acidic, like lemon juice), and partly for its genuine nutritional value. The flowers are rich in vitamins A, C, and E, and contain a class of potent antioxidants called anthocyanins — the same compounds that make blueberries, red cabbage, and red wine healthful. Butterfly pea flower is associated with supporting memory and cognitive function, calming anxiety and mild depression, and acting as a natural stomach soother. The colour transformation when you add lemon juice is a wonderful conversation starter and makes this tea a delight to prepare and share.

What studies say about the key ingredients

Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.

  • Honey · Meta-analysis, 14 studies · 2021
    Compared with usual care, honey was associated with lower combined symptom scores, cough frequency and cough severity. In two pooled placebo-controlled studies, the difference in combined symptoms was not statistically significant.Limitation: Only two studies compared honey with placebo, with high heterogeneity (I2=91%); the review calls for higher-quality placebo-controlled trials.PubMed 32817011 · 3 more honey studies

From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.

Safety first — read before you cook

This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:

  • are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
  • take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
  • have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.

Ingredient notes for this recipe

Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes

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