9 Foods You Should Eat If You Have A Sore Throat
f you are like many people who loves eating, suffering from a sore throat can be frustrating and devastating. Aside from having an impaired taste, swallowing will be very painful since your throat is irritated. If you think that the pain is already unbearable or you think that it’s more than just a typical irritation, consult your doctor right away.
So what can you eat if you have a sore throat?
Coconut Oil
Coconut Oil is antimicrobial and that means it could attack fungi, bacteria, and other viruses. By doing so, your immune system could do its magic and fix the problem fast. Coconut oil is also anti-inflammatory and that means it could soothe irritation, pain, and scratchiness.
Warm Water With Honey
It could reduce inflammation.
Garlic
Garlic contains anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it ideal for those who suffer from a sore throat. For instance, you can make some garlic bread, add garlic powder to your smoothie, or make a pasta sauce topped with fresh garlic.
Cinnamon
It contains antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties that could suppress staphylococcus, candida albicans, and E coli. It could also help in easing the discomfort and pain due to sore throat.
Mashed Potatoes
Since it’ll be hard to swallow if you have a sore throat, you still need to eat. To avoid starving yourself, you need to consume something even if you don’t want to eat. One good option is mashed potatoes. They’re soft, easy to swallow, and filling.
Warm Tea with Ginger, Garlic, and Honey
Ginger and garlic have anti-inflammatory properties that can help soothe the discomfort caused by sore throat. It can also boost your immune system.
Green Tea
Green tea offers a lot of health benefits and that includes warding off symptoms of sore throat.
Soup
Soup is always on top of the list. Even though any soup can be consumed, most people like less thick and clearer soup when they’re not feeling well because they’re easier to swallow.
Macaroni and Cheese
Just like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese is easy to swallow plus, they’re filling too.
Foods to Avoid If You Have A Sore Throat
Fatty foods
Red meats, dairy products, deep fried foods, as well as baked sweets should be avoided. They have high fat content that would suppress your immunological system.
Citrus Foods
Acidic foods like grapefruit, lemons, limes, tomatoes, and oranges may cause throat irritation, which could worsen your condition. What you need to consume instead are fruits that have a soothing effect to your throat. These include bananas, kiwis, melons, as well as peaches.
Spicy Foods
You should avoid eating spicy foods including hot sauce, chilli powder, curry, nutmeg, peppers, and cloves because they can worsen your sore throat. Instead of these, you can improve the flavour of your dishes by adding fresh ginger.
Crunchy Foods
Foods that have a rough texture like dry toast, granola, and uncooked vegetables could scratch the back of your throat and make you feel uncomfortable. Choose foods that can be easily swallowed like yogurt, soup, mashed potatoes, ice cream, casseroles, and smoothies.
Symptoms of Sore Throat
The symptoms of sore throat vary but most of them include:
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Inflamed tonsil, glands in your neck
- Muffled or hoarse voice
- White patches on the tonsils
- Pain sensation in the throat
- Cough, fever
- Runny nose, sneezing
- Body malaise
- Headache
- Vomiting
Cause of Sore Throat
Most sore throats are caused by viruses. Viral illnesses that comes with sore throat include common cold, measles, influenza, chickenpox, and whooping cough.
Bacterial infections may also cause sore throat and the most common one is Streptococcus pyogenes. Other causes of sore throat include dryness, allergies, irritant, muscle strain, GERD gastroesophageal reflux disease, HIV infection, and tumors.
Risk Factors
Anyone could get a sore throat but there are some risk factors that could make a person more susceptible. These include age, allergies, chronic sinus infections, weak immunity, and exposure to chemical irritants.
Preventing Sore Throat
Practicing good hygiene and avoiding germs is the best way of preventing sore throats. There are a few tips to help reduce your risk of acquiring it.
Be sure to wash your hands before eating, and after using the toilet, coughing, or sneezing. Sneeze or cough into a tissue or into your elbow.
If for some reason you cannot wash your hands with soap and water then you need to use an alcohol based hand sanitizer instead. Clean your TV remotes, computer keyboards, and telephones regularly. Avoid close contact with individuals who are sick.
When To See A Doctor
Bring your child to a doctor if he or she is suffering from severe signs and symptoms like difficulty swallowing or breathing, or unusual drooling.
If you are an adult, you should see a doctor if you experience difficulty opening your mouth, experience earache, if you have a rash, or a lump in the neck.
