Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea (Copycat Recipe To Make At Home)

This is our copycat version of the Medicine Ball Starbucks Tea, so you can be the barista and save money and time by making it at home this flu season! 

Use this recipe made with simple ingredients like green and peach hot tea, mixed with steamed lemonade and peppermint extract, to soothe a sore throat and help you get over a cold or cough.

 

What Is Starbucks’ Medicine Ball Tea?

Starbucks enthusiasts swear that ordering Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea (aka Cold Buster Tea), from what is referred to as the “Starbucks secret menu,” can help cure a common cold or cough. 

A secret menu item is a Starbucks recipe that isn’t on the official menu, but that regulars know how to order. Knowledge of the medicine ball drink is spread only by word of mouth. 

In rare cases, as with the Starbucks Medicine Ball Tea, the item keeps trending in such high demand that it DOES eventually make its way onto the regular menu. Now you can order this drink from any Starbucks as the “Honey Citrus Mint Tea.”

Health Benefits of Medicine Ball Tea

One of our own registered dietitians, Jessie Shafer, used to order a Medicine Ball Tea from Starbucks whenever she felt a tingle in her throat. But then she realized that she could easily make her own version at home for less money and with less added sugars, too. 

Jessie polled our readers on social media to see if they’d like an at-home Medicine Ball Tea recipe, and the answer was a resounding YES! Jessie perfected the recipe at home, and shares the reason that this combination of ingredients results in a nourishing tea:

• Water: Essential for maintaining hydration and supporting overall bodily functions, water aids in digestion and facilitates nutrient absorption.
• Lemonade: Packed with vitamin C, an antioxidant crucial for immune system support, lemonade may enhance digestion.
• Peppermint green tea: Infused with antioxidants, this tea may contribute to fighting inflammation and aid digestion.
• Peach herbal tea: Herbal teas provide antioxidant benefits and vitamins.
• Pure honey: As a natural sweetener with potential antibacterial properties, honey contains antioxidants and may provide relief for a sore throat and cough.
• Peppermint extract: Known for aiding digestion and relieving indigestion, peppermint extract is associated with potential benefits in alleviating headaches and improving focus.

Ingredients To Make Medicine Ball Tea

Here’s what you need to make yourself one of the most soothing, cozy, and congestion-relieving home remedies:

• Hot water
• Lemonade or lemon juice — The Starbucks recipe uses lemonade. However, to cut back on sugar, we provided a version below that calls for lemon juice instead. You can also add lemongrass or lemon verbena tea bags to add another layer of healthy lemony flavor.
• Peppermint green tea — You can use any variety of green tea (we recommend an organic brand). The flavor is even better if you can find a green and mint tea bag, such as this one from Traditional Medicinals on Amazon.
• Peach herbal tea — We recommend that you select an organic herbal tea. You can use any brand (we like this delicious organic Peach DeTox tea from Yogi), or you can substitute with any fruity or floral flavor of herbal tea, such as a hibiscus or any berry flavor.
• Pure honey — You could use maple syrup instead, though we recommend honey for its health benefits.
• Peppermint extract — This is an optional ingredient, but we recommend that you use it if you have it. We love the extra punch of soothing flavor and aroma it provides.

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How To Make Medicine Ball Tea

You can make this cold and cough remedy at home, which is ideal when you’re not feeling well enough for a Starbucks run. 

1. Heat the liquids: Heat the water and lemonade (or lemon juice) to a very low simmer over the stovetop (our preferred method). You can also heat the liquids in a mug in the microwave or using a tea kettle.
2. Steep the tea: Add the peppermint green tea bag and the herbal peach tea bag. Let them steep for a few minutes (we recommend 5-10 minutes total time of steeping).
3. Stir in the flavoring: Stir in the honey and the peppermint extract (they will dissolve in the warm liquid).
4. Enjoy: Pour your Medicine Ball Tea into a favorite mug, and enjoy this soothing warm tea drink right away.

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

How To Make and Store a Double Batch

If you’d like to make a Medicine Ball Tea for more than one person at a time, or if you’d like to make extra for yourself when you’re under the weather, you can easily double the recipe. 

Use the following amounts and follow the directions as listed in the recipe card below:

• Double the liquids, using 2 cups of water and 2 cups of lemon juice
• You still need to use just 1 of each kind of tea bag
• Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey, depending on your preferred taste
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract

To store homemade Medicine Ball tea in the fridge, cool it to room temperature. Then, transfer it to an airtight container and place it in a darker section of the refrigerator away from strong odors. Consume within 3-4 days for optimal freshness.

The Science: Does Medicine Ball Tea Work?

You may be wondering if this drink really does help cure a common cold or cough. Unfortunately, we can’t claim that anything can 100% cure your cold. That being said, there is some science behind why this concoction of ingredients may be beneficial for helping you feel better faster:

• Lemon juice is high in vitamin C, and research shows that vitamin C can shorten the length of a cold.
• A warm lemon drink may help relieve congestion faster.
• Studies show that green tea is a rich source of antioxidants and has natural anti-inflammatory properties to help relieve a sore throat.
• It is well-established in several studies that honey is a natural cough suppressant and an effective way to relieve cold symptoms, espeiclaly in children.
• Peppermint contains menthol, an ingredient shown to relieve congestion and soothe a sore throat. This is true of fresh peppermint, as well as peppermint extracts and teas.
• Most importantly, research shows it’s good to stay hydrated to recover faster and ease your cold symptoms. This tea is very hydrating.

For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!