What should singers eat and drink

Most of the time, your airway remains open and your esophagus the path to the stomach remains closed. But, when swallowing, the larynx closes the airway completely, allowing food and liquid to pass to the stomach and keeping it out of your lungs.

In cases of acid reflux, a small amount of stomach acid travels up the esophagus and into the throat. Stomach acid may fall onto the vocal folds, irritating or burning them, causing discomfort and temporary vocal damage that can be further aggravated by singing.

Foods to avoid include foods with high fat content, like fried or greasy foods, eggs, butter and other dairy products; and acidic meals like spicy foods, peppers, concentrated tomato dishes, vinegar, and citrus fruits.

This will help ensure that your performance is free of unwelcome Some foods that may cause gas include: beans, fresh fruit, green vegetables, dairy products, spicy foods, and carbonated beverages.

Since the topic of what to eat and drink before singing is on the minds of many singers, let me give you my perspective now. While all of these things can help the throat feel good, the only way that any of them will actually come into contact with your vocal folds is if you breathe them, and this is not something I would recommend. The only thing that you can breathe that is beneficial is steam. I recommend that each of my students purchase a steamer. This is not the same as a vaporizer which puts moisture into the air of a room.

Smoking or vaping anything is absolutely the best and quickest way to permanently ruin your voice. Everything you breathe in—every pollutant, every speck of pollen, every particle of dust—passes right over your vocal cords, drying them out and irritating them.

Alcohol might not have such an immediately damaging effect, but it is dehydrating and inflammatory. And the high sugar content of most mixers is also bad for your voice. If your vocal health is important to you , revisit tip 2 for suggestions on what to drink to sing better.

Despite all this talk about healthy vocal cords, your vocal folds are only one part of a complex system that produces your singing voice. To sing well and to maintain your vocal health, you need to understand your body and know where your voice is coming from.

You should never sing from your throat—the power behind your voice is your breath, and your breath should be supported by your diaphragm. Sing from your core, allow your vocal cords to relax, and let your voice resonate in your chest, pharynx and face.

It takes time to train your body to support your voice, though you can speed up the process by working with a vocal coach. Put yourself on vocal rest. Drink a lot of water.

Get some extra sleep. Take care of yourself and your tired voice. But most importantly, do not push through the pain. You can seriously damage your voice by singing when your voice is strained or your throat is hurting.

Singing Summer Camps Offered throughout the summer season, our music camps teach students how to play their favorite songs as part of a band. Check out Summer Camps. What should you eat for a healthy singing voice?

What are the best drinks for your singing voice? What are the symptoms of strained vocal cords? Skip to content Main Navigation. Good foods to eat before singing Eating the best foods and knowing what to drink to have a good singing voice can help you improve before you get on stage. Warm water Herbal teas Manuka honey Lemon Ginger Cucumber Watermelon Salads Fresh fruit Chicken Fish Turkey Kidney Beans Best drinks to help the singing voice Below you can read some more detail on what to drink to have a good voice, help with your performance, and contribute towards improved vocal health.

Warm or room temperature water? Why is cold water not good for singers? How much water should a singer drink? Looking to fix a hoarse voice? Best tea for singers throat? Decaffeinated tea is the best tea to drink for your singing voice. Drinking herbal teas such as green tea or liquorice with some good quality Manuka honey for sweetener or lemon for zest is best. Peppermint tea will invigorate you and chamomile teas are naturally relaxing.

Caffeine and milk in tea are not recommended. Honey and lemon tea this one you make yourself by simply adding honey and lemon to warm water. Wild white moss this is a wild tea that comes from the Himalayan region and can help to cool down a raspy singing voice. The locals at the foothills of the Himalayas have used it for centuries.

Is lemon good for your voice? Is ginger good for the voice? Other drinks to help the singing voice Onion syrup Not so well known for helping vocal cords keep clear and stay healthy are onions. Chlorophyll Adding a few drops of liquid chlorophyll to your water can help too; chlorophyll reduces inflammation and will ensure your vocal cords are primed and ready. What foods are good to eat before singing There are so many different opinions to what the best foods to improve singing voice performance are.

Food that improves voice Cucumber and melon The best snacks, as a rule, are ones high in water content so also hydrating the vocal cords. Fresh fruit An orange or an apple has a lot more crucial nutritional value.

Unsalted crackers While dry crackers might seem like the last thing to eat before singing, actually they are great as they stimulate saliva production for hours, therefore lubricating your vocal cords accordingly. The best healthy meal and diet for singers Turkey served with salad. Food and drink to avoid before singing Conversely, things to avoid ingesting are those that produce excess mucus or have a drying or cooling effect.

Hot or cold foods and drinks As refreshing as chilled foods or drinks might seem pre-performance, the coldness will actually constrict your vocal cords, while hot drinks may cause your vocal cords to swell.