DIY Cold Remedy: How to Make a Starbucks ‘Medicine Ball’ Drink at Home

If you’re coming down with a cold, you’ll try just about anything to get rid of the sore throat, cough, sneezing and runny nose.

Whenever I start to feel under the weather, I Google things like “How long will a cold last?” and “How do I get rid of a cold fast?” as if it’s the first time I’ve been sick.

Although there is no cure for the common cold, there are plenty of treatments to help you fight it.

How to Make This Starbucks Cold-Busting Drink at Home

Earlier this year, I learned about a tea-based drink at Starbucks nicknamed the Medicine Ball or Cold Buster, which some people claim temporarily relieves their cold symptoms.

There are hundreds of pictures on Instagram from people who say the beverage is a lifesaver!

The secret menu item became such a hit with cold sufferers that the customer creation was added to the regular menu and officially named Honey Citrus Mint Tea.

Starbucks shared the recommended recipe with Clark.com:

• 1 Venti cup with half hot water and half steamed lemonade
• 1 bag of Teavana Jade Citrus Mint Tea
• 1 bag of Teavana Peach Tranquility Tea
• Packet of honey
• Pump of peppermint (optional)

If you went to Starbucks and bought this drink every day for a week — which is how long the common cold typically lasts — it would cost you more than $20.

Team Clark picked up all the ingredients for $10 by substituting less expensive brands of tea:

• Tazo Refresh Mint Tea, 20 bags: $2.49 (sale)
• Celestial Seasonings Country Peach Passion Tea, 20 bags: $2.27
• Simply Lemonade: $2.69
• Pure Honey Bear: $3.09

Optional: Starbucks steams its lemonade for this drink. You can buy a handheld milk frother on Amazon for less than $10 or borrow one from someone you know!

DIY Cold Remedy Taste Test

One of my coworkers happens to be sick with a cold right now. I had him try both the Starbucks Medicine Ball and the tea that I made with the cheaper ingredients.

John isn’t convinced that either beverage relieved his symptoms, but there was a taste difference.

“I get why the Starbucks drink is called a Medicine Ball — it reminds me of something I might get on the Cold & Flu aisle at the drugstore. The homemade version, on the other hand, is something I would drink even if I felt great. Tasty!”

Have you tried the Starbucks Medicine Ball or a homemade version? Let us know if it helped you feel better by leaving a comment on Facebook, Twitter or in the comments below.