A butterfly and a pea combined. This is how others tend to describe the butterfly pea. Why? Well, this is mainly due to its flower that is so unique and so beautiful. The butterfly pea, or what they most popularly call as the Clitoria ternatea is actually an Ayurvedic medicine, which is a very communal type of vine that is very native to the equatorial and tropical regions. However, it is now widely available in some other parts of the world. Butterfly pea does not only have an amazing appearance, it is also beneficial for the health. In fact, the health benefits of butterfly pea are quite mesmerizing, they are all for the betterment of the overall health. If you want to know more about this plant, feel free to give this article a read.
Butterfly Pea…
Scientifically, it is popular as Clitoria ternatea, and is also known as Darwin pea, Cordofan pea, Blue pea, Bluebell vine, and Asian pigeon wings. What makes this a popular herb is its capability of boosting the brain.
Butterfly pea, being a creeper, needs just a very little care. This is because it is a plant that is suitable for re-vegetation. Moreover, it also has an ornamental value due to its oblong green leaves, which may offer a dense green cover that may have a few flowers that are interspersed, thus making them look strikingly amazing. The attractive flower of the plant is actually in a unique shape assemble, which makes it look like a woman’s clitoris. This is where it gets its name Clitoria ternatea.
Furthermore, butterfly pea is native to the equatorial or tropical regions in the whole world, but most rampant in Asia. It is actually a traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine that has been consumed for about centuries now. Before, they use the herb as a memory enhancer, calmative agent, anti-stress, and brain booster.
Moreover, it is quite popular for its indigo color that is luminous. Traditionally, it is used as a vegetable in cooking, to add color in deserts and to make a tea with a vibrant color. Butterfly pea is not always about its use in foods and beverages, it is also beneficial for the maintenance and promotion of health.
In the actual fact, butterfly pea is rich in antioxidants, peptides, and flavonoids essential for the health. Furthermore, it has also shown an amazing effect in treating various health conditions. Moreover, there are various beauty products that also use butterfly pea as one of their ingredients. This is mainly because of the effects of quercetin and flavonoid on the hair and skin.
Effects of Butterfly Pea on Various Systems of the Body
There are studies that show the effects of butterfly pea on the different systems of the body. These are the health benefits of butterfly pea on various systems on the body:
- Integumentary system: the premature aging of the skin is a problem to some. The flavonoids in the butterfly pea are beneficial in boosting the collagen production, thus increasing the elasticity of the skin.
- Reproductive system: the butterfly pea is beneficial in the normal sperm production. This is since it is spermatogenic.
- Urinary system: being a diuretic, it helps in promoting the normal urination, and may also be useful in treating the difficulty in urinating.
- Respiratory system: it may act as an expectorant and has the capacity to reduce the irritation of the respiratory organs, thus making it useful in treating coughs, cold, and asthma.
- Circulatory system: the butterfly pea is a blood purifier and a hemostatic, thus making it essential to stop bleeding.
- Digestive system: it is an antiemetic, antidypsetic, cholagogue and mild-laxative. Thus making it essential for the betterment of the digestion.
- Nervous system: the butterfly pea has a calming effect on the brain.
Health Benefits of Butterfly Pea
Here are some of the most astounding health benefits of butterfly pea:
- Anti-HIV: it has cyclotides, which may have an anti-HIV effect on human.
- Anti-diabetic: studies show that the butterfly pea is beneficial in inhibiting the glucose intake from a diet.
- Anti-depression and anxiety: some studies suggest that high doses of the pea may cause to be adaptogenic, thus helping the body to deal with various stressors.
- Anti-asthmatic: the butterfly pea is beneficial in treating common cough and cold as well as asthma. Moreover, it also acts as an expectorant and helps in reducing the irritation of the respiratory organs.
- Anti-inflammation: there are flavonoids on the indigo-colored flowers of the plant. They are beneficial in reducing the inflammation.
- Hypertension: traditionally, it has been used as a diuretic, thus it is beneficial in treating hypertension and some other illnesses.
- Heart health: the butterfly pea is good for the heart. This is since it is capable of suppressing the cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
- Brain health: the butterfly pea is beneficial in enhancing the brain. Not just that, it also helps in improving memory and cognition.
Truly, the butterfly pea is beneficial for the health.
