When you have a swollen inflamed sore throat, swallowing can be difficult and often quite uncomfortable. This can make the mere thought of eating and drinking rather unpleasant. Here, we’ll review some food and drink that can help ease the irritation and discomfort of eating and drinking with a sore throat.
Foods to eat with a sore throat
Helpful advice for what to eat with a sore throat is to choose foods that are easy to swallow and that don’t further irritate your already inflamed throat.
Soft foods
Reach for soft yet nutritious foods such as bananas, yoghurt, or scrambled eggs to prevent irritating your sore throat. You could also try whipping up a smoothie to keep up your intake of fruits and vegetables.
Warm foods
Warm foods such as chicken or vegetable soup can help soothe a sore throat.
Frozen foods
Cold frozen foods such as ice cubes, ice blocks, ice cream, and frozen yoghurt may help to cool your sore throat to reduce discomfort while eating.
Foods that coat your throat
Certain foods such as honey are called demulcents. These foods coat the throat with a soothing film to help relieve the irritation of a sore throat.
Drinks for sore throat
We’ve listed some foods that help sore throat, but what about drinks for sore throat? The essential thing to remember is that maintaining your fluid intake is important when you have a sore throat, to prevent dehydration.
Cold drinks
The cooling effect of cold drinks such as iced water or iced tea can help to relieve sore throats.
Warm drinks
Warm drinks such as black, green, or herbal tea can also soothe a sore throat. Consider adding honey to warm water or warm tea to coat and soothe your irritated sore throat.
Foods to avoid with a sore throat
Now that we know what is good food for sore throat, are there any ‘bad’ foods to avoid? When you are managing a sore throat, try to avoid foods that are difficult to swallow or that could cause more irritation to a painful or inflamed throat.
Rough-textured or hard foods
Foods that are rough or have sharp edges or that are hard and crunchy can all cause more irritation to an already sore throat.
Salty or spicy foods
Consider toning down the levels of spices and salt in your foods when you have a sore throat to help reduce irritation.
Acidic foods
Highly acidic foods such as tomatoes or citrus fruits may also irritate a sore throat.
Best food for sore throat recovery
Sore throats associated with colds and flu usually resolve on their own in around 1 week. As described above, adjusting the temperature and types of food you eat can help relieve discomfort associated with an irritated sore throat. However, there is no scientific evidence to show that any particular food or drink can speed your recovery.
Good food for sore throats FAQs
Frozen foods such as ice cream can help cool a sore throat, making swallowing easier.
The acidity in lemon may irritate an already sore throat.
For fast and effective relief from an irritated sore throat, reach for Strepsils® Lozenges with double antibacterial action. When you need rapid relief from a painful, inflamed sore throat, try Strepsils® Extra Lozenges with antibacterial and anaesthetic action.
Is ice cream good for a sore throat? It can be if it makes your throat feel better, but it has no healing powers over a sore throat. There's also no evidence that ice cream is bad for a sore throat. The most important thing about a sore throat is not to ignore it.
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"As far as what to eat or drink for a sore throat, there is no good evidence for or against anything. Cold ice cream or a cold drink may soothe your throat — and so may warm tea with honey. Whatever works for you is best," says Susan Evans, MD, a family health specialist in the Department of Family Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
Read more: 11 Natural Remedies for a Sore Throat, According to a Doctor
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What Causes a Sore Throat?
Most sore throats are caused by a cold virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only about 1 in 10 sore throats in adults are strep throat, caused by bacteria. Other possible causes are allergies, dryness and irritation from fumes or smoke. Any of these causes can make your throat feel sore or scratchy and make it painful to swallow.
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See you doctor for any sore throat lasting more than a week or that causes swollen glands in your neck or white patches in your throat, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
"It is always important to rule out strep throat that needs to be treated with antibiotics," Dr. Evans says. "A basic rule is that a sore throat with a cough is probably viral, not strep. However, in the age of COVID-19, we are now advising any patient with a sore throat to call the doctor and get checked for COVID."
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What to Eat or Drink for a Sore Throat
"If you have been checked with a throat swab and you don't have COVID or strep, the best treatment for your sore throat is home care. The best home care is based more on experience than any evidence from studies," Dr. Evans says.
Warm fluids help break up mucus and soothe a sore throat, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Cold foods or liquids may also help alleviate the soreness as well, per the CDC. Dr. Evans advises saltwater gargles. For the salt water, use 1/4 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of water. You can do this often to relieve soreness and swelling during the day, but spit it out. Don't swallow.
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Here are some other tips for soothing a sore throat suggested by the CDC, Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Evans:
- Drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration.
- Try ice chips, ice cream or an ice pop for relief.
- Try tea with lemon or honey, or broth for warm relief. (Honey may also help with a cough, but do not give honey to children under age 1.)
Other Home Care for a Sore Throat
These experts also agree on the following additional home care remedies:
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- Rest at home until you feel better.
- Rest your voice.
- Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke.
- Use a humidifier or vaporizer to avoid dryness.
- Take a hot shower to break up mucus.
- For adults, try a numbing over-the-counter throat spray.
- Try sucking on a throat lozenge or hard candy (not for children under age 2, as these may be choking hazards).
- Try acetaminophen or ibuprofen as directed for pain relief, but check with your doctor before giving any over-the-counter medications to children.
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When to Call Your Doctor
If you don't have COVID or strep throat, you should be able to recover at home safely, but Dr. Evans says to watch for some red flags.