Starbucks Medicine Ball (Copycat Recipe)

Oct 14, 2024

Honey Citrus Mint Tea Medicinal Ball Copy Cat Recipe

Love the Starbucks® drink popularly referred to as Medicine Ball by customers, but don’t love having to run out to the coffee shop and spend a ton of money on it? You’re speaking our language. While the drink is certainly tasty — and could be helpful if you’re under the weather — it can get a bit pricey, especially with inflation the way it is.

That’s where this copycat recipe comes in. We crafted it with our high-quality tea blends and plenty of love. Not only will it help you save some money, but you’ll also support conservative small businesses like ours instead of a big corporation.

If you’re craving the comforting taste of a Starbucks Medicine Ball (Honey Citrus Mint Tea) but are tired of the high price, our homemade Starbucks Medicine Ball recipe will do the trick. Learn how to make a delicious copycat medicine ball right at home using our easy-to-follow recipe. Enjoy the same cozy and comforting flavors while saving money and supporting small businesses!

What is a Starbucks Medicine Ball?

The Starbucks Medicine Ball (Honey Citrus Mint Tea) is a popular drink, popularly named by customers, that contains two types of tea, lemonade, and a few other things. The combination is sweet, tart, and citrusy. It’s called a “medicine ball” because it can be helpful for stuffy noses and the like. The basic ingredients are:

Peach green tea
Citrus mint tea
Hot water
Steamed lemonade
Honey

While the coffee shop’s version is very good, ordering one can often get very expensive, not to mention it is high in sugar and unwanted additives. So, what are we to do? Make our own, homemade version with some higher-quality loose-leaf tea blends, of course!

Besides the cost savings we mentioned, making your own Starbucks medicine ball recipe at home gives you complete control over what you put into it. You can use the teas you love, adjust the sweetness to your liking, and even add a few additional ingredients for an extra boost.

The Importance of Quality Teas

Now, let’s talk about the tea itself. You may be tempted to grab a box of inexpensive tea bags from the grocery store, but they often contain harmful chemicals and microplastics. The Starbucks medicine ball is meant to be a health drink — so it’s not very helpful, or “healthful,” to use teas in bleached tea bags, which you’ll find in most store-bought options.

Loose-leaf teas taste better and are free from harmful chemicals. They’re also easier on the environment because they produce less waste and are typically sourced from small, organic farms (like ours!).

When you choose high-quality teas, you’ll not only make your copycat medicine ball taste better, but you’ll also have better control over the brewing process. You can fully customize the strength and flavor to your liking!

^{Photo By Kayla Joy Creative}

Copycat Medicine Ball Ingredients Medicinal Benefits

Before we jump into the Starbucks medicine ball recipe (also known as the Honey Citrus Mint Tea) , it’s important to take a closer look at the ingredients we’re using and their medicinal benefits.

Cottage Peach Tea

We’re using a combination of our Cottage Peach Tea, plain Chamomile Tea, rose hips, and licorice root to get a similar flavor to Starbucks peach tea. A few standout ingredients and their benefits include:

Rooibos: Rich in antioxidants, rooibos may help protect cells from damage. It may help soothe digestive issues as well. Plus, it’s naturally caffeine-free (Source).

Ginger: May help reduce inflammation, and could also help alleviate nausea or indigestion. It could also be helpful for folks with arthritis (Source).

Calendula petals: An annual herb with edible flowers, calendula could help fight against viruses, bacteria, and inflammation. It may also boost immunity (Source).

Peaches: Rich in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, peaches could help your body fight off infections. They also contain iron and zinc, which could support the immune system (Source).

Chamomile: Known for its calming effects, chamomile may also help soothe digestion and bloating (Source).

Rose hips: Packed with vitamin C, an essential nutrient for immune health, rose hips are also rich in antioxidants (Source).

Licorice root: May boast anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties that could be helpful in fighting off disease. Licorice root may also help with coughs and bacterial and viral infections (Source).

Photo By Kayla Joy Creative

Emerald Garden Mint Tea

Next up, we went with our Emerald Garden Mint Tea blend instead of Starbuck’s Jade Citrus Mint Tea. The ingredients are packed with benefits:

Gunpowder green tea: Slightly higher in caffeine than regular green tea, gunpowder blends are rich in antioxidants that could protect your cells against disease (Source).

Spearmint: Adds a touch of freshness and could help fight off bacterial infections (Source).

Peppermint: Another pop of mint! Peppermint is antimicrobial and antiviral and is also full of antioxidants (Source).

Lemongrass: Some studies suggest that lemongrass may also have anti-inflammatory properties and could fight against infection (Source).

Orange peel: Citrusy and bright orange contains antioxidants that may help protect cells from damage (Source).

Marigolds: Have been shown to boast antimicrobial properties as well as anti-inflammatory ones (Source).

Lemon & orange extracts: Both contain antioxidants and orange extract in particular has been shown to aid in aging (Source).

Homemade honey lemonade

You’ll steep both types of tea in a mixture of half-hot water and half-steamed homemade honey lemonade.

Lemon is full of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that boosts immunity. Its anti-inflammatory properties may help reduce inflammation in the body as well. Honey also contains antioxidants plus antibacterial properties that may help fight infections. When you put them together in your copycat medicine ball, you could improve immunity, soothe sore throats, and even provide a natural energy boost thanks to those natural sugars.

Raw honey

At Starbucks, they use their own honey blend (honey, water, natural flavors, potassium sorbate, xanthan gum, and citric acid) as a sweetener, whereas we rely on raw honey. It boasts so many benefits — plus if you get it from a local farmer, you’ll also support your local economy.

Raw honey is rich in natural enzymes and antioxidants. It has antibacterial and antioxidant properties, can help with cough relief, and provides a natural energy boost. It’s also to note that not all raw honey is created equal! Be sure to purchase yours from a reputable farmer who you know and trust.

Grab everything you need for this drink in this bundle here.

How to Make Your Own Copycat Starbucks Medicine Ball

Starbucks Medicine Ball Frequently Asked Questions

What is in the medicine ball from Starbucks?

The Starbucks Honey Citrus Mint Tea, also named by customers as the medicine ball, the recipe includes citrus mint green tea, peach herbal tea, hot water, steamed lemonade, and honey.

Is the medicine ball from Starbucks healthy?

It depends on your definition of healthy. While the Starbucks medicine ball may seem on the lighter side, it is actually full of sugar. This homemade recipe uses raw honey and organic teas with organic extracts and no junk.

How long will the medicine ball keep?

If stored in the refrigerator, a homemade Honey Citrus Mint tea, a.k.a. the "Medicine Ball" can last for up to 2-3 days. However, for the best flavor, we recommend you drink yours within 24 hours.

Can I drink a medicine ball cold?

Yes, you can drink a medicine ball cold. After you’ve brewed the tea and added the honey, let the drink cool completely before placing in the refrigerator to chill for an hour or so. You can always add ice cubes to enjoy it even colder.

Sweetening Up Life

This delicious and easy-to-make Honey Citrus Mint Tea copycat drink from Starbucks, also known as the medicine ball, is a great drink to add to your repertoire. When you make the drink at home, you’ll save money, skip the junk, and enjoy and better-tasting and more beneficial beverage! If you would like to grab more tasty drinks made with tea, make sure that you check out our Free Cooking with Tea E-book (it's not just cooking!) as well as the other drink recipes below.

A question for you before you go... what is your favorite Starbucks drink? Perhaps yours will be featured in our next copy cat recipe post. Let us know in the comments section below. I"ll chat you down in the comments!

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