Blue lotus tea is a type of herbal tea that is made from the flowers of the blue lotus plant. This plant is known by its scientific name of Nelumbo nucifera or Nymphaea caerulea, depending on the species.
Blue lotus tea is made by steeping dried blue lotus flowers in hot water and is used primarily for its psychoactive compounds. Read on to learn more about making blue lotus tea and the health benefits it can provide.
This beautiful flower is famous for lining the banks of the River Nile and has been used in holistic medicine and human consumption since ancient times in Egypt.
What Is Blue Lotus Tea?
Prized by the ancient Egyptians, the blue lotus–also known as a blue water lily, sacred blue lily, or blue Egyptian lotus–is an aquatic plant that contains an essential oil with valuable psychoactive properties.
Along with being used in holistic medicine, blue lotus plants were considered a sacred flower that had major cultural importance in Egyptian society. They were also prized by the ancient Greeks.
Blue water lilies occur naturally in the Middle East and Central Africa, but these lilies are also cultivated commercially in the United States for use in teas and landscaping projects.
What Does Blue Lotus Tea Taste Like?
Blue lotus tea has a sharp, earthy flavor that tends to overwhelm other flavors in herbal tea blends. Some varieties of blue lotus tea blends may also have a lightly floral flavor.
Some tea drinkers may find blue lotus tea to be unpleasant or strong-tasting on its own. To make blue lotus tea more palatable, try the following methods for mellowing it out:
- Dilute the tea: Making a weaker blue lotus tea brew can reduce the strong, sharp flavors of the tea and make it easier to drink.
- Add a sweetener: Adding sweeteners like honey, agave nectar, or sugar can help cut some of the bitter flavors in blue lotus tea.
Dried blue lotus can also be added to other herbal tea blends to help dilute its flavor and make it more drinkable by adding orange peel, star anise, or other spices for a more pleasant flavor.
How Is Blue Lotus Tea Used?
Blue lotus tea is commonly consumed as a tea before bed. This allows tea drinkers to experience the tea’s euphoric, sedative, and divinatory effects while they sleep.
Blue lotus tea is also considered an aphrodisiac, so it is considered a practical beverage to enjoy before romantic activities with a loved one.
How Does Blue Lotus Tea Work?
Blue lotus tea contains several botanical compounds that have sedative and antispasmodic properties that can help induce relaxation and a feeling of euphoria.
These compounds include the following:
- Nuciferine: Nuciferine is an alkaloid found in blue water lilies that has both anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects.
- Aprophine: Aprophine is an alkaloid found in blue water lilies that can have significant side effects such as nausea, but has been used successfully to help maintain sexual arousal and also in the treatment of diabetes and hypertension.
The interaction of these compounds and other chemicals in blue lotus tea with the human body is what causes the mental and physical effects associated with it.
Is Blue Lotus Tea Psychoactive?
Blue lotus tea is a mild psychoactive herb, and the compounds responsible for its psychoactive properties are nuciferine and apomorphine respectively.
What Happens When You Drink Blue Lotus Tea?
Most people who drink blue lotus tea experience feelings of mild euphoria, sleepiness, and relaxation. Similar to mugwort tea, if blue lotus tea is taken before sleeping, it is likely to lead to more vivid dreaming and lucid dreams due to its mild psychoactive properties.
Does Blue Lotus Tea Have Caffeine?
Like many herbal remedies, tea made from the blue lily flower does not contain any caffeine.
This makes it a good tea option for drinking before bed since the lack of caffeine won’t worsen associated insomnia.
Does Blue Lotus Tea Help You Sleep?
Blue lotus tea has been used as a sleep aid for centuries. The same compounds that make blue lotus tea psychoactive (nuciferine and apomorphine) can help induce sleep.
Is Blue Lotus Tea Legal?
The blue lotus flower is not a controlled substance in the United States so it’s legally allowed to be grown, sold, and purchased. The exception is the state of Louisiana, where it’s illegal. Interestingly, Louisiana also has banned mugwort as a prohibited plant.
Before trying any natural remedy, it’s important to speak to your health care provider to make sure it’s safe for you. As a natural product, it’s not approved by the FDA and as thus, there is no safety data or dosage recommendations for this herbal tea.
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How to Make Potent Blue Lotus Flower Tea
Steeping dried blue lotus in hot water is the most common way to make blue lotus tea. To make it, add hot water to a pot or mug that has been heated to the point of boiling or almost boiling, then add a dried blue lotus flower.
Allow the blue lotus to steep in the tea for at least fifteen minutes (or longer if you prefer your blue lotus tea stronger).
For loose blue lotus tea, a tea infuser or muslin bag can be used to avoid having to strain the tea before drinking.
Blue lotus flower tea is available in both loose leaf and tea bag varieties.
Once blue lotus tea is steeped, garnish the tea with additions like orange peel, mint, or honey to help improve its flavor and make it easier to drink.
Health Benefits of Blue Lotus Tea
While it is primarily consumed for its psychoactive effects, blue lotus tea provides a wide variety of health benefits. Here are some of the main reasons that people drink blue lotus tea for their health:
- Psychoactive effects: The mild psychoactive effects of blue lotus tea make it a mind-altering substance. The psychoactive properties of blue lotus tea are light enough that it provides a natural way to alter your consciousness.
- Antispasmodic effects: The active ingredients in blue lotus tea act as antispasmodics, which make it easier for your body to relax. This property makes blue lotus tea a good sleep aid. Blue lotus tea is also used as an aid for lucid dreaming.
- Mood alteration: Drinking blue lotus tea causes euphoric feelings and can cause stronger euphoric effects the stronger the tea is. This is due to the effect of blue lotus tea on dopamine receptors in the brain.
- Nervous system protection: The psychoactive compounds in blue lotus tea can help protect the nervous system, especially when it comes to the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Blue lotus tea also helps eliminate free radicals that lead to degenerative nervous system disorders.
- Aphrodisiac effects: Blue lotus tea can help men maintain an erection even if they suffer from erectile dysfunction.
- Menstrual and gastrointestinal problems: Since blue lotus tea is anti-inflammatory, it can be useful for reducing the painful cramps associated with both digestive issues and menstruation.
Blue lotus tea is effective for treating a wide range of different health problems. But it does have side effects for some users.
Side Effects of Blue Lotus Tea
One of the main side effects noted in blue lotus tea is that it can cause abdominal cramps and digestive issues in some people.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, blue lotus tea is not safe for consumption and is considered a controlled substance in several countries, including the United States.
How Else Do You to Take Blue Lotus?
Besides making potent blue lotus tea, there are several other ways to get blue lotus flower extract into your system:
- Smoking the ground blue lotus flowers
- Ingesting a tincture made of blue lotus flowers and alcohol
- Infused wine or spirits
- Blue lotus flower essential oils
Blue Lotus Tea Is an Ancient Remedy for Sleep and Lucid Dreaming
Even though blue lotus tea has been around for thousands of years, there are plenty of good reasons why people still continue to drink this intoxicating brew in the modern age.
Whether you’re chasing a natural high or you just want to sleep better, this tea can provide the holistic properties you need.
