By reducing liver inflammation, this antioxidant infusion allows the body to better filter sugar and avoid blood sugar spikes.
Feeling tired at 11 a.m., uncontrollable cravings, overwhelming sleepiness after lunch… These are signs that your blood sugar is on a roller coaster ride. This blood sugar level is the body’s fuel, but in excess, it becomes toxic to the tissues. Blood sugar needs to be regulated. We can do this through diet and with the help of certain solutions from natural medicines. Among them, a magnificent blue flower, used in infusion, can be a precious ally.
Researchers who studied its benefits started with rats whose metabolism was deliberately disrupted to mimic poor human health. “Dyslipidemia (an abnormal concentration of fats and cholesterol in the blood, editor’s note) was induced in rats by a high-fat diet” they explain in their study. The rats presented “blood sugar level greater than 250 mg/dL and serum cholesterol level ≥ 200 mg/dL”. For 28 days, scientists observed whether an extract of the famous flower corrected these imbalances.
According to the results, the flower did indeed allow “to reduce the blood sugar levels of rats”. How ? In diabetic subjects, the liver is attacked and dysfunctional: “Insulin resistance causes the liver to overproduce glucose, contributing to hyperglycemia” argue the scientists. The liver is “particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia”. This is where the flower comes in: by providing a massive dose of antioxidants, it calms inflammation in the liver and helps it filter sugar correctly. This famous flower is the butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea).
Originally from Indonesia, this flower acts as a cellular repairer. As the authors of the study point out “it is recognized for its beneficial properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antidyslipidemic, antibiotic and hepatoprotective properties”. By cleaning the liver of its oxidative stress, it allows it to stop producing excess sugar, restoring its balance. In infusion, the butterfly pea flower gives a pretty blue color to the water thanks to the anthocyanins it contains. It is thus called “blue matcha”.
To prepare it, it’s very simple: use 4 to 6 flowers for 200 ml of hot water. Leave to infuse for 5 to 10 minutes, filter and drink one to two cups per day. If you add a squeeze of lemon juice, the acidity will change the pH of the water and the drink will instantly turn bright purple. The butterfly pea flower is sold in herbalists. Check the composition because not all “blue matcha” names necessarily contain the butterfly pea flower. As a precaution, specialists do not recommend taking it for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and for the long term.
