Did you know? When your digestive system is comfortable your voice works satisfactorily.
A huge portion of meals takes up space below in the diaphragm which causes your breathing muscle to struggle.
There are three principles in a way of choosing what you eat that helps you to enhance your vocal health.
- Keeping your digestive system comfortable
- General wellness and stamina should be maximized and
- Guard against acid reflux irritation of the vocal cord
A strong body normally with good muscle tone and endurance is the demand from a healthy voice.
Hence, singers must have an adequate amount of healthy fats and oils also a balance of protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans.
Here we provide you with some of the options of food to eat before singing.
What to eat before singing?
Singers must be careful about what they are eating to avoid common issues like vocal cord nodules or polyps.
The larynx is very close to the esophagus, if only a small amount of stomach acid slinks back up to the esophagus which leads towards the throat, it touches the back area of the vocal cord which is not right for the voice.
The above condition is called LPR which means Laryngopharyngeal reflux.
Furthermore, singers are believed to have a higher risk of having reflux because of the pressure which changes inside the body generally from singing, breathing, and powerful speeches.
In most cases, mild Laryngeal reflux can be managed with the combined form of lifestyle, diet, and medication.
Here are some of the options of food to eat before singing.
Water
One of the most important things for singers is to remain hydrated which helps the singer keep their voice lubricated.
Since consuming cold or iced water might strangle your vocal cords you must always choose room temperature water.
Honey
Another best thing to have before singing is honey because honey contains the ability to soothe the throat. This is the reason why maximum numbers of lozenges contain honey in them.
Honey contains antimicrobial and antibacterial properties on it.
Before singing, if you want to have a soothing drink you can always think of adding honey to warm water and a little bit of honey.
You can also have honey with tea to soothe your throat in place of warm water.
Nuts
Nuts are the go-to snack of every singer before singing since it provides instant energy.
If possible you should pick unsalty or less salty nuts and make sure to wash them with room temperature water before having them and it will also help you to remove salt from the nuts (salt can dry out your throat).
Peanut Butter
Always go for natural peanut butter with less sugar and salt.
You can have it with bread which provides you protein and helps you to get through a long performance.
Decaf teas with licorice root
It has been proven that decaf teas with licorice root help you to give more flexibility while singing.
Licorice root helps the tissue in your throat by covering it with a protective layer and also prevents irritation in mucus membranes.
You can have it after it cools down to room temperature.
Vitamin A
Foods that are rich in vitamin A help your mucus membranes to remain healthy.
Vitamin A contains in yellow foods like mangoes, squash, and all.
Hence, you can have foods like squash, and sweet potato, or have fruits like mangoes, and peaches before singing.
You can also have dark leafy spinach and kale for vitamin A.
Fresh fruits
Fresh fruits have more nutrients than juiced ones. Hence, you can choose fruits over juices if possible.
Juices contain sugar which can directly go into your bloodstream and wear you out.
Fresh fruits help your throat remain lubricated and your body also remains hydrated.
Chicken and Fish
Protein is must be needed for singers which helps them to fill up and also gives energy for long performances.
The chicken will help your vocal cords to remain overwhelmed with fats and oils.
Having a mild amount of oil and fats can help you to fight vocal strain and also prevents your throats from drying.
What not to eat before singing?
There are foods that you should not consume before singing because they might hinder your performance.
Here are some of the foods you have to avoid before singing or which is bad for your vocals.
Alcohol and Soda
It might fill good to calm down your dry throat while consuming alcohol or soda but it is one of the things you must avoid before your singing performance since it will dry out your throat.
You have to sidestep alcohol and soda before singing to avoid vomiting on stage.
Caffeine
Caffeine increases the rate of urine excretion and dehydrates your body and it disarray with your mucus production.
Singer’s voice must be lubricated but caffeine dries out your vocal folds and also tends to tighten your muscle.
When your muscles are tight in the throat, it will damage your vocal cords.
Chocolate
Chocolate contains caffeine which will dry out your throat and also tighten your muscle around the vocal cords.
Furthermore, it also triggers acid reflux and creates more phlegm which makes the singer to uncomfortable while singing.
Hence, pass the chocolate to another guy before you perform.
Foods that are oily and spicy
Oily and spicy food grease up your throat and causes phlegm. Not only that but, it also causes heartburn.
Avoid this type of food before your performance but having it once in a while is fine.
Iced or Coldwater
Too many cold or too hot drinks have adverse effects on your vocals.
Iced water tightens your vocal muscle which leads to loss of flexibility and causes unnecessary stress.
The Final Takeaway
Everyone has a different tolerance to food since we are physically different for example some singers may be fine after drinking caffeine between rehearsals but others might not be since they are sensitive.
For singers, it is important to take care of your health. You have to ensure what to include in your diet to make it proper.