Nature is amazing, isn’t it? We never know what kind of wonders are hidden by it yet. Talking about such miracles, we need to bring blue lotus tea into the discussion. This is a lotus flower with psychoactive properties. Blue lotus tea is made from flower petals and has cultural significance, especially in parts of the world, such as Egypt. In many scriptures and records, the flower has been marked as one with spiritual significance. It is claimed to have benefits like inducing sleep, improving relaxation, providing digestive relief, reducing symptoms of aging, etc. This article tries to understand blue lotus tea in detail. Along with that, it strives to find the answer to the question of whether it is good for you or not.
What Is Blue Lotus Tea?
Blue lotus tea is a special kind of tea made from the petals of the blue lotus flower which is scientifically known as Nymphaea caerulea. Native to North Africa and Southeast Asia, these flowers have a cultural significance in both herbal and spiritual fields. Blue lotus tea has been consumed for centuries as it has certain claimed benefits of calming your mind and acting like an aphrodisiac.
The blue lotus flower is also known by various other names such as blue water lily, blue Egyptian lotus, and sacred blue lily. It is considered a psychoactive plant and an entheogenic drug, which means it has mind-altering properties.
The presence of two active compounds called apomorphine and nuciferine gives the flower psychoactive properties. Even though it is not approved for human consumption inside the United States, it doesn’t come under the controlled substances list.
How is blue lotus tea made?
Making blue lotus tea is relatively simple. Follow the instructions below:
Ingredients
- Blue lotus petals/tea leaves
- Water
- Sugar or honey
Preparation
Take approximately 250-500ml of water in a tea pan and set it to boil. When the water boils, add 2 tbsp of blue lotus tea leaves to it. Now let the infusion stay for at least 5-10 minutes. For sweetness, you can either add sugar or honey in the required amounts. Now strain the blue lotus tea into your cup. Enjoy the softly sweet and floral aroma.
Potential benefits of blue lotus tea
In this section, we will explain the potential benefits of consuming blue lotus tea.
- Provides relaxation and calming effects
The presence of compounds like nuciferine and aporphine in blue lotus tea can help you unwind after a long day. According to a study published by NIH, apomorphine alkaloid molecules have been shown to induce different kinds of relaxation actions based on an experiment conducted in rats. These compounds have been shown to interact with your central nervous system and help you reach a state of calm and peace.
- Regulates your sleep-wake cycle
By interacting with certain neurotransmitters in your brain, the blue lotus flower can help you fall asleep faster. It has also been proven to help you maintain a consistent sleep schedule. A study published in The Lancet Neurology Journal in May 2022 explained how apomorphine, an active compound in blue lotus flowers, helps in improving sleep for people with Parkinson’s Disease.
- Relieves you from anxiety
Being a psychoactive and adaptogenic plant, the blue lotus plant can help you lower your stress and anxiety levels. Based on a research paper published in Wiley Online Library, apomorphine was found to be effective in treating anxiety, with special reference to alcoholism.
- Provides anti-aging properties
The blue lotus flower is ideal for reducing signs of aging. As the flower has many antioxidants, it can fight the free radicals that cause damage to the cells. There has been much research published on the effectiveness of blue lotus on skin health. Such a study published under University of Natham explained the effects of blue lotus flower on treating skin conditions such as acne vulgaris and found it to be beneficial.
- Balances blood sugar levels
As the flower has high levels of potassium, it can help control your blood sugar levels. According to research published in Nutrition Research and Practice, the lotus flower leaves have been shown to alleviate hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in animal models that have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.
Other uses of blue lotus tea
Apart from consuming it as tea, the flowers stems, and roots of this plant are also made into extracts, oils, resins, powders, and electronic cigarette refill liquids (e-liquids). It is mainly used for psychoactive purposes and also as a sleep aid. But in some cultures, blue lotus tea is also used for stimulating lucid dreaming.
People who do this achieve this by consuming the flower petal directly or making it into tea form. Also, in other cultures, blue lotus flowers have been consumed as an aphrodisiac even though there isn’t much research published on confirming these properties. In many parts of Egypt, the flower was considered to be a crucial part of certain sexual ceremonies.
Side effects and risks of blue lotus tea
Before starting its consumption, you need to know some of the side effects and risks of blue lotus tea.
- Might cause mild sedative effects- Some of the users of blue lotus tea who have consumed it in higher doses have reported having sedative effects. Research published in Military Medicine journal explained a case study where a group of people experienced toxicity after ingesting the flower.
- Digestive discomfort and nausea- Another possible risk factor of consuming blue lotus is this. Consuming higher doses might cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
- Allergic reactions- If you have any kind of plant allergies, it is ideal to keep away from consuming blue lotus. The characteristics of allergic reactions include rashes, swelling, respiratory difficulty, etc.
- Drug interactions- The presence of apomorphine and nuciferine in the plant might interact with medications and either reduce or amplify their effects. So you should consult a doctor before taking blue lotus tea if you are currently taking any medication.
Blue Lotus tea vs other herbal teas
One of the characteristic features that differentiates blue lotus tea from other herbal teas is how it is made. While most herbal teas are made using the leaves, stems and roots of the plant, blue lotus tea is mostly made from the flowers and petals. Also, unlike other herbal teas, blue lotus tea is known for its psychoactive properties.
It can induce a dreamy state of mind and help you reach relaxation and peace more effectively compared to other herbal teas such as chamomile and peppermint. Even though most herbal teas offer multiple benefits, the benefits of blue lotus tea have a cultural significance and have been studied by researchers for a long time. It offers multiple benefits for your body and offers a relaxed state of mind.
Conclusion
On evaluating the aforementioned aspects, it can be concluded that blue lotus tea has multiple health benefits and if taken with moderation and caution, it can be useful. The tea is made from the blue lotus flower, a kind of lotus that is predominantly found in the Middle East and southeastern Asia.
The tea has active compounds such as apomorphine and nuciferine, which give it distinctive qualities. Blue lotus tea is considered to be psychoactive and in many cultures, it is used as an aphrodisiac.
Apart from this, tea is also said to be beneficial for alleviating stress and anxiety, inducing sleep, preventing aging symptoms, promoting digestion, etc. However, care should be maintained while consuming it as an overdose can result in side effects.
FAQs
According to the FDA (Food and Drugs Administration), blue lotus flowers are considered to be poisonous but not a controlled substance so it is legal to purchase or sell the flowers.
If you are taking it in moderation, the effects can be positive and cause you sleepiness and relaxation. But in high doses, it can cause adverse effects such as nausea, hallucinations, palpitations, etc.
Usually, blue lotus doesn’t show up on a urine test.
Blue lotus flowers act as a sleep aid, relaxant, and aphrodisiac for your body.
Some of the possible side effects of lotus tea include nausea, dizziness, confusion, chest pain, slurred speech, rapid heartbeat, etc.
You need at least 3-5 grams of dried flowers to make 1-2 cups of tea.
Yes, the presence of antioxidants and phytonutrients helps to support collagen production and improve skin elasticity.
