It may only be September, but winter is right around the corner. With the snowy weather on its way, everyone’s favourite coffee conglomerate—Starbucks—will be releasing their winter drink menu any day now. Over the past few years, a fan-favourite winter flavour of theirs has been the Starbucks peppermint syrup. This minty sweetener has been featured in several of their beverages from mochas to lattes, and their all-famous frappuccinos. But, have you ever stopped to wonder what Starbucks uses in their peppermint simple syrup? Much like their hit lavender syrup, it’s hard to tell what ingredients form their minty nectar. If you’re in search of a more natural, but equally delicious alternative, we encourage you to pre-order our version of the Starbucks peppermint syrup. In this post, we will cover everything you need to know about purchasing our latest winter-themed sweetener.
Why You Should Avoid Starbucks’ Peppermint Syrup
When standing in line at Starbucks, you might be overwhelmed by the exorbitant number of flavouring options available. From cinnamon dolce and apple brown sugar to sugar cookie and peppermint, Starbucks has come up with endless options for changing the flavour profile of your everyday cup of joe. And, while the majority of consumers overlook the potentially harmful ingredients listed in their proprietary creations, it’s important to peel back the label and take a closer look.
Nearly all of Starbucks’ simple syrups contain artificial ingredients and colours which can have long-term effects on a person’s health. Not only this, but they are also unnecessary in most cases. If you’ve ever examined the ingredient list of a Starbucks proprietary sweetener, chances are you’ve stumbled upon the word “natural flavours”. This all-encompassing term is used by conglomerates like Starbucks to hide the bulk of their recipe so that other businesses can’t replicate their purportedly unique flavours. According to Health Canada and the FDA:
“The term natural flavour or natural flavouring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavouring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavouring rather than nutritional.”
What’s more, is that natural flavours can contain over 100 different chemicals from solvents to emulsifiers. This is risky for those who have potential allergens to certain foods, chemicals, or sweeteners. A prime example is when Starbucks released its lavender syrup, causing unexpected allergic reactions that many of you reported.
Introducing Lavender Jacks’ New Simple Syrup – Peppermint!
If you want to enjoy the mintiness of a peppermint sweetener, without the risks, we encourage you to pre-order our new peppermint simple syrup. We are gearing up to release the new product early this winter so that you can all enjoy your favourite minty beverages free of additives.
Our simple syrup is made from our farm-grown peppermint, without the use of insecticides, herbicides or other chemicals. The ingredients in Lavender Jack’s syrup are simple as the name should imply. We only use peppermint, water, sugar, and citric acid. When melded together these flavours create the perfect syrup for any winter drink.
To get you inspired about our latest syrup, here’s a quick peppermint mocha recipe:
For this concoction, you’ll need your milk of choice, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee, peppermint syrup, vanilla extract and whatever you wish to top the beverage with. To begin, you’ll start by heating ¾ of a cup of your milk in a saucepan. Once the milk has started to warm, go ahead and add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and optionally, a a few tablespoons of sugar. Heat this mixture until small bubbles form around the edge. Next, you can stir through ¾ of a cup of espresso, 0.5 or 1 shot of peppermint syrup (depending on preference), and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Once this has cooked together for a minute or so, you can take it off the heat pour it into a glass of your choice, and top it with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Contact us to Pre-Order Yours Today!
Keep an eye on our website and social media for more information about our alternative to the Starbucks peppermint syrup. We love to educate our readers and customers about the perks of buying farm-made products and their amazing benefits! As always, if you have any questions about our lavender farm in Kelowna, feel free to contact us. Or, if you have any inquiries about Lavender Jack’s, don’t hesitate to reach out.
