Herbal Cocktails: The New Alcohol Trend Taking The World By Storm

This is for the Editorial Fellowship.

Color-changing alcohol is about to change the world...

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And the secret ingredient? Butterfly pea flowers, a natural form of food coloring used in Southeast Asian cuisine. The pea itself has been used for centuries in ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine as a memory enhancer and calmative agent, but its future might well be found in swanky uptown bars around the world.

How does it work?

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Simple: mix an acid, like lemon or lime juice, with a liquid infused with butterfly pea flowers and the entire drink will change its color.

How do I use it?

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There are a couple ways that you can introduce the butterfly pea flower into your favorite alcoholic drinks.

First, you can place the dried flowers into the alcohol for a couple hours until the liquid turns blue, then strain the flowers out. Once that liquid interacts with citrus, it will change from blue to a bright pink, then dark purple.

One of the easiest ways to try out your infused alcohol is with shots. For example, get a couple friends and line up a couple shots of an infused tequila, then squirt a lime across each shot and watch the tequila change color before your very eyes.

You can also make the butterfly pea flower into a tea, then add the tea to your alcohol of choice later on. To do this, simply steep 5 to 10 flowers in a cup of hot water and let them sit for 15 minutes. When the petals have lost their color, strain the liquid and bottle the resulting indigo broth.

Butterfly pea flower tea can be added to margaritas, martinis, mules, or any other favorite cocktails to add a colorful 'wow' factor.

Is it healthy?

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Butterfly pea is not only a fun and easy way to add new life and vibrance to your cocktails, but the flower also has a long list of health benefits. For instance, enjoying a butterfly pea-based drink can...

1. Boost brain health by generating high levels of acetylcholine, known to decrease age-associated memory loss and improve memory.

2. Fight against cancers by inhibiting cancer cell growth.

3. Reduce body pain, migraines, and swelling due to wounds and headaches.

4. Lower blood pressure.

5. Improve skin health by preventing premature aging and improving overall skin tone and texture.

6. Improve hair health by promoting hair growth, reducing hair fall, and slowing down the greying of hair.

7. Help with digestion by relaxing the stomach muscles and preventing the growth of worms in the gut.

8. Help regulate blood sugar levels.

And the best part...

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They're cheap and easy to find! A bag of butterfly pea flowers can go for just $9 on Amazon or even less if you find them at a local apothecary or specialty food store.

Become a mixology magician!

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What're you waiting for? Grab a pair of snazzy mason jars, a shiny cocktail shaker, a bag of butterfly pea flowers, and go make your mixology dreams come true!