Throat Infection: Foods to Eat and Not to Eat

Feeling a scratchy sensation at the back of your throat, pain while swallowing, which may or may not be accompanied with a hoarse and muffled voice? ‘tis this weather that brings about these irritable changes. It’s especially irritable when one can’t eat what they like, because it causes so much discomfort during and after. When faced with this very common issue of sore throat, what’s good to eat and what’s not?

Avoid: Citrus and Acidic Food

Oranges, lemons, grape fruit and other citrus fruits are no-go when you have a sore throat. The acidic content in these are likely to irritate and further worsen your symptoms.

Can Eat

Fruits you can have: those which are soft in texture and soothing to the throat e.g. bananas, peaches, melons and kiwi.

Avoid: Fried and Fatty Food

The one important factor that helps the body combat diseases from the most minor category to the most major is the immune system. Often we see people who get sick more frequently than others, and then there are those who never seem to be sick. A major contribution is made by the immune system- the body’s natural way of fighting disease.

When faced with sore throat, avoid fatty and fried foods. Why? Because they take up a large part of the body’s time and energy to digest them and suppress the immune system. Why aggravate the speeding process when you can speed it up? Avoid red meat, deep-fried foods, baked sweets and anything rich in fatty acid.

Can Eat

A wide variety of options include lean meat e.g. chicken and fish. Have soup, especially if swallowing causes pain, another option is grinding your food or making a puree out of it.

Avoid: Spicy Food

Anything containing chilli powder, hot sauce, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, or anything spicy must be avoided. When you have a sore throat, it is most likely for your throat to be inflamed (red, swollen, tender). Bringing it in contact with spicy irritable substances is just like inviting more disease.

Can Eat

What you can have is ginger. Many researchers have proved that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties. These are essential for quick recovery and faster healing of a sore throat. In addition to healing, garlic also plays a part in preventing recurrence of sore throat.

Avoid: Coarse Food

Food that is hard in texture like un-cooked vegetables, dry toast etc. can be a source of irritation to your already inflamed and vulnerable throat.

Can Eat

Choose foods that are soft, semi-solid in consistency to the least, easy to swallow, and light on the throat. Make a gravy and cook vegetables in it, have yogurt, eggs, cheese, soups etc.

It is imperative to maintain a healthy diet even though it might be difficult to do so when eating becomes a task. It is also of prime importance to go to a doctor to diagnose whether the sore throat is caused by virus or bacteria. In case of bacterial involvement, your doctor may prescribe you an antibiotic treatment. Regardless, the body’s own immune system must be maintained to hasten the recovery.