Butterfly pea flower tea has indigo colour. It is used as food colour and medicine. Juice squeezed from the flower can be used for conditioning and thickening hair, eyebrows, and beard. As a result, it is an ingredient in some shampoo and hair condition.

The indigo colour is rich in anthocyanins and a wide range of other secondary metabolites including triterpenoids, flavonol glycosides and steroids.

This plant has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a memory enhancer, nootropic, antistress, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, tranquilizing and sedative agent. Traditional Thai medicine also uses the plant for boosting the immune system and improving eyesight (increase blood circulation in small blood vessels) of patients with diabetes, glaucoma, cataract, etc.

The scientific studies has reconfirmed those with modern relevance. Its pharmacological activities includes antimicrobial, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, local anesthetic, antidiabetic, insecticidal, blood platelet aggregation-inhibiting and for use as a vascular smooth muscle relaxing properties.

Butterfly pea flowers make a beautiful and healthy cup of tea. You can change the colour of the tea to purple by adding a few drops of lemon juice.