Butterfly Pea Tea

น้ำอัญชัน

Butterfly Pea Tea (น้ำอัญชัน, Nam Dok Anchan) is one of Thailand's most visually spectacular traditional drinks — a vibrant, intensely blue beverage made from the dried petals of the Butterfly Pea flower (Clitoria ternatea), a climbing plant native to Southeast Asia that has grown in Thai gardens and forests for centuries. In Thailand, butterfly pea flower tea has been a cultural mainstay for generations, often served at social gatherings and traditional ceremonies — the 'nam dok anchan' is as familiar and everyday to Thais as chamomile tea is to Europeans. The plant's flowers range from deep royal blue to violet, and when dried and steeped in hot water, release anthocyanin pigments that colour the water an extraordinary electric blue. The most remarkable feature of the tea is its pH-sensitive colour change: add a squeeze of lime or lemon juice (acidic), and the tea instantly transforms from blue to purple to pink — a magical visual effect that has made it enormously popular on social media and in specialty cafes worldwide. In Thai traditional medicine, butterfly pea flowers were used to support eye health (high antioxidant content was believed to protect vision), enhance hair strength and shine, calm the mind, and improve memory. Modern research indicates the flowers contain ternatins — polyhydroxylated anthocyanins that act as powerful antioxidants with potential neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. The drink is caffeine-free, naturally sweet with a mild floral taste, and is prepared by steeping dried flowers in hot water for 3–5 minutes. In Thailand it is served both hot and cold, and is frequently combined with lime juice and a drizzle of honey for a refreshing iced drink.