This Starbucks Secret Menu Drink Is Perfect for Cold Season

Starbucks’ secret menu has given the world many wonderful things. It’s where people first started toying with the idea of rainbow Frappuccinos and recreations of Harry Potter’s pumpkin juice. Now that winter cold season is in full swing, it’s time to revisit the Starbucks secret menu for a super-popular drink called a Medicine Ball, which is touted as the perfect thing to drink whenever you have a cold.

According to The Daily Meal, the Medicine Ball started out life several years ago as part of Starbucks’ secret menu, and it became so popular it actually wound up on menu boards for a while. Some Starbucks managers said they were making up to 20 a day. Baristas recommended them to customers with colds, and people adored them.

To make a Medicine Ball, start with a Venti cup filled with half hot water and half steamed lemonade, then add a bag of Jade Citrus Mint Tea and a bag of Peach Tranquility Tea, and finally a packet of honey. Some people like to add a pump of peppermint, too.

Some Starbucks drinks are crazy, but this one really does sound like the perfect thing to drink when you have a cold. The combination of lemon, mint, and honey is a classic cold-buster, and the Peach Tranquility tea offers hints of peach, pineapple, and chamomile. It sounds like it would soothe sore throats and clear sinuses, all while making a person feel warm and cozy.

Every time I’m sick, I alternate between hot mint tea with sugar, and hot lemonade with honey. I don’t know why it never occurred to me to combine the two, but this sounds great.

The Medicine Ball might not be as effective as a flu shot at keeping a person healthy through the winter, but it sure sounds delicious.

Have you ever tried a Medicine Ball?