Taste of Belize (4)

Butterfly Pea Flower (Clitoria ternatea) is an easy growing herbaceous twining vine with striking blue flowers that has many benefits and can be used as natural food dye. ONLY A FEW LEFT This premium quality hand-picked Belizean Blue Butterfly Pea flower is hand dried in quaint Mayan villages, nestled in the foothills of the Mayan Mountains.  2-ounce package A small amount produces a gorgeous intense nectar that is consumed as a tea or used for skin and other health applications.   The wild blooms are brewed to create a bright blue, edible dye that can change color!  "What's so surprising is that you can get BLUE or you can get PURPLE. If you ADD LEMON to it — or [another] acid to it — depending on the pH, the color changes." - Naomi Duguid, a James Beard Award–winning culinary writer Add Natural Blue or Purple Hues to Foods Add to breads, cupcakes, pancakes, waffles, even rice to naturally change the color of foods to an exciting blue and purple shade. Make Beautiful Blue or Purple Cocktails Infuse the butterfly pea flowers in alcohol (i.e rum, tequila, gin or vodka) or make beautiful galaxy cocktails using dried butterfly pea flowers. The length of infusion is dependent on the color required however, make sure you fine strain the flowers after use and keep the infused spirit in the fridge. The tea can also be made into a simple syrup to use in cocktails. For Hair Health & Antioxidants Dried butterfly pea flowers are rich in minerals and antioxidants ideal for DIY face masks and extracts improve skin and promote hair growth. Great source of flavonoids. Skin Health & Anti-Aging Butterfly Pea Flowers is an excellent source of antioxidants and documented collagen boost to nourish skin. Boosts brain function. Eye Health Butterfly Pea Flowers are packed with proanthocyanidins, known to improve eyesight.   Stress Relief May help to make you feel calm and relaxed. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, the flowers are praised for their "calming and memory-boosting effects." How to use: Herbal Infusion in Hot Water Steep 2-3 dried flowers in 8 oz boiling water for blue tea. Add honey or lime to enhance the flavor & watch the colors change from blue to purple!   What is Blue Butterfly Pea (Clitoria Ternatea)? Also known as Asian Pigeon Wings, Blue Bell Vine, Blue Pea, Cordofan Pea and Darwin pea, ‘Butterfly Pea’ (Clitoria ternatea) is an amazing brain boosting herb native to tropical equatorial Asia. A traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, Clitoria Ternatea has been consumed for centuries as a memory enhancer, brain booster, anti-stress and calmative agent. Are you suffering from low energy or brainpower? Feeling stressed? Anxiety? Can’t sleep? Can’t conceive? Constipated? Poor eyesight? Losing your hair or greying prematurely? Is your skin losing collagen? Butterfly Pea is known to help! Statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.

Damiana (Turnera diffusa) is a wild shrub native to Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. It is used in traditional Maya/Mexican medicine as a diuretic, laxative, stimulant, aphrodisiac, and for treating diabetes and venereal diseases.  Use two teaspoons in hot water or blend with your favorite green tea for a delicious brew! The NIH considers it Hepatoprotective, and encourages further development: "There are few drugs available for the prevention or treatment of hepatic diseases, and there is a growing need for the development of safe hepatoprotective agents. The medicinal plant, Turnera diffusa, has many ethnopharmacological uses, one of which is the production of a flavonoid named hepatodamianol, which is the principal component responsible for this plant's hepatoprotective properties." Damiana has shown anxiolytic, antidepressant, hypoglycemic, anti-ulcer, cytotoxic effects, and stimulated sexual behavior in preclinical models. Research indicates it can treat and prevent sexual problems by boosting and maintaining mental and physical stamina and acting as an aphrodisiac.  Development of a Hepatoprotective Herbal Drug from Turnera diffusa - PMC (nih.gov)

The mint bar features mint, chocolate, honey and coconut for a delicious, refreshing treat.  Slow roasted cacao, over a low fire for 1.5 hours, makes healthy and less bitter dark chocolate bars. These are a treat for any dark chocolate connoisseur.  All Lamanai Chocolate is organic, vitamin and mineral rich, and hand produced. It is untempered chocolate that has never been alkanized. Raw unpasteurized honey, raw almonds and slow roasted coconut, all rainforest harvested are used in Lamanai’s different bars   It's made with chocolate, honey, coconut, and mint extract, no added preservative, no additives, all organic.