When you're under the weather, there are few more comforting things than a cup of hot tea. You might prefer to keep it simple and make your beverages at home, but Starbucks also has you covered with a tea that many of us swear by. While it's touted as "super secret," the Starbucks Medicine Ball tea isn't exactly complicated to order—if you know what to ask for. Read on to learn more about this tasty and soothing beverage.
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What Is the Starbucks Medicine Ball?
StarbucksIf you've never heard of the Starbucks Medicine Ball, that's probably because you haven't seen it on the official menu. The "medicinal" drink started where so many trendy things pick up steam these days: social media.
All the way back in 2017, people were sharing their recipes for the Medicine Ball tea, which gained fame as one of Starbucks' "Secret Menu" items. While it's unclear who first came up with the drink, several posts list Teavana Jade Citrus Mint Tea, Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea, steamed lemonade, hot water, honey, and peppermint syrup as the primary ingredients.
Starbucks employees quickly caught on. After receiving orders for 20 of these concoctions in one day, a store manager posted about the drink in the company's internal messaging system. When 40 other managers chimed in to say they'd noticed the same thing, Starbucks decided to make an official recipe, Fortune reported.
Now, it's just known as the Honey Citrus Mint Tea. As a nod to its humble beginnings, the description for the Honey Citrus Mint Tea notes that it is "a customer creation so popular that it's now on the menu."
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What's in the Starbucks Medicine Ball (Honey Citrus Mint Tea)?
iStockUnder its new official name of Honey Citrus Mint Tea, Starbucks' Medicine Ball contains several of the original secret ingredients, including a bag of Jade Citrus Mint Tea, a bag of Peach Tranquility Tea, lemonade, and a honey blend.
"Green tea with flavors of lemon verbena, candied pineapple, chamomile blossom, and a hint of spearmint served with steamed lemonade and a touch of honey for a tea that comforts from the inside out," the in-app description reads.
How to Order a Starbucks Medicine Ball
Sorbis / ShutterstockIt's pretty simple to order a Starbucks Medicine Ball. All you have to do is ask for the Honey Citrus Mint Tea!
However, as a longtime drinker of this tea, I've found that if you ask your barista for a "Medicine Ball," they generally know what you're talking about. (Still, it's best to try to remember the official name, just in case your barista is new or unfamiliar with the nickname!)
If you're ordering in the Starbucks app, you definitely need to remember Honey Citrus Mint Tea. When searching "medicine ball," no results populate.
It's worth noting that the Honey Citrus Mint Tea is made with mint tea, but doesn't include the peppermint syrup that customers initially added. Personally, I like a bit of peppermint syrup in my Medicine Ball—especially if I'm struggling with a cold or allergies. This has a simple enough fix: Request a pump or two when ordering in-store, or add it when customizing your order in the app.
The Medicine Ball is also not typically ordered iced. But if you're craving a Honey Citrus Mint Tea and really want it cold, a barista on Reddit suggests ordering a Peach Green Tea Lemonade with one pump of honey.
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What Does the Starbucks Medicine Ball Taste Like?
Tatiana_kashko_photo / ShutterstockThe Medicine Ball tastes somewhat "thicker" than standard brewed tea, making it extra effective when soothing a sore throat. You definitely taste the peach and mint from the flavored teas—and although a grande is only 130 calories, the drink itself is pretty sweet. (The nutrition facts for a grande list a whopping 30 grams of sugar.)
I find the standard recipe a bit too sweet, so when I'm ordering, I cut back on the honey. The grande recipe calls for two pumps, but one is enough in my experience.
If you also prefer something less sweet but want to maintain the honey flavor, another option is to ask for less lemonade. The Starbucks app makes it easy enough to adjust your preferences there, offering options for light, standard, extra, or no lemonade at all.
Happy sipping, and feel better soon!
