The winter months brings about cold weather and, well, colds! Sore throats and coughs make it difficult to eat and drink, but you need to eat and drink to obtain essential nutrients. At the same time, you need to consume foods and beverages that soothe the throat as opposed to worsen the pain. So what foods do you eat in order to accelerate the recovery process?
Most of us know to drink soothing herbal teas and to avoid cold beverages, but what about the foods? You don’t want to eat foods that take a lot of effort to swallow. Sorry, but a bag of chips is not on the menu. The worst foods to eat when you have a sore throat include:
- Dairy products (because these increase mucus production)
- Spicy seasonings (spicy foods can irritate sore throats)
- Acidic foods (while acid helps to kill bacteria, swallowing acidic foods can cause discomfort and irritate the inflamed throat)
Top 5 foods to eat when you have a sore throat
1. Coconut oil
Praised for its antimicrobial properties, coconut oil works to kill fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Essentially, coconut oil steps in to help your immune system resolve the problem more quickly. Upon swallowing a tablespoon or so of coconut oil, the anti-inflammatory properties soothe the pain and irritation.
2. Manuka honey
We are positive that you use honey to sweeten your teas when you are sick, but are you consuming manuka honey on its own? A recent study found that manuka honey’s anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties can kill bacteria and inflammation that cause the pain of a sore throat. It isn’t cheap, but it is delicious and helps to soothe sore throats.
3. Steamed vegetables
If you are going to cook vegetables, we recommend steaming them for a few minutes because that is the best way to help them retain the most nutrients. Roasting them for too long or sautéing them can kill the nutritional profile. Additionally, steamed vegetables are soft, warm, and easy for people to swallow. You’ll get a lot of nutrients and it won’t hurt to eat!
4. Cinnamon
We don’t recommend swallowing a spoonful of cinnamon because that will most likely make you cough. It’s best to stir one teaspoon of cinnamon in eight ounces of warm water and consume it that way. Cinnamon contains antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties that have been known to reduce inflammation in the throat and esophagus.
5. Soup
You can’t just consume whatever soup you like because it is integral to avoid dairy-based soups so that you don’t increase mucus production. Thick broths are actually more difficult to consume, so opt for soups with clearer broths that contain soft vegetables. Don’t buy processed chicken stock because those cartons or cans typically contain outrageous amounts of sodium. Visit our soups section for some healthy soup recipes.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
