Butterfly Pea

Picture taken from www.PlantOftheWeek.org

A busy day indeed, but it doesn't mean I can't find time to blog. Let's talk about flowers for these few weeks. The Clitoria Ternatea flower, a blue Butterfly Pea flower which is native to Asia. The growth rate of tis flower can be rapid. If u have eaten true nasi kerabu, u will notice the natural purple and blueish colour on the rice which is the colour from Bunga Telang, the Malay name of Butterfly Pea. You can find authentic Nasi Kerabu at Ramadhan Bazaar in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Bunga Telang is very rich in blue delphinidin, a type of anthocyanin which is a member of a class of nearly universal, water-soluble, terrestrial plant pigments that can be classified chemically as both flavonoid and phenolic.

Anthocyanins are found in most land plants, with the exception of the cacti and the group containing the beet. They contribute colors to flowers and other plant parts ranging from shades of red through crimson and blue to purple, including yellow and colorless.

So what r the benefits of this flower? The blueish anthocyanins on these flowers are antioxidant flavonoids that protect many body systems. Anti-oxidant flavonoid in Butterfly pea protects against free radical damages from environmental pollution.

Butterfly pea and Bergamot r traditionally used for hair wash in Thailand. As a dye, it is popular amongst the health conscious who do not appreciate artificial dyes. Butterfly pea is also used in Nonya Bak Chang.

The color of this flower is very similiar to the color of Ribena. Read the label when you purchase Ribena, and you will noticed the company uses "Grape Skin" as the colouring. That is why it is written "No artificial colour" on the label. Just like Butterfly Pea, grape skin is a rich source of anthocyanins.

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