Sore throat: what should I eat, and what should I skip?

With a sore throat, choose cool or soft foods that are easy to swallow, such as rice porridge (jok), boiled rice soup (khao tom) or steamed egg, and drink plenty, either cold water or warm water. While your throat is sore, skip strongly flavoured food, such as very spicy or very sour dishes, and keep away from cigarette smoke. The UK's NHS says sore throats are very common and normally get better by themselves within a week, and advises seeing a GP if yours does not improve after a week or if you often get one. If you get a sore throat every rainy season, it is worth asking a doctor to look into the cause.

What should I eat when I have a sore throat?

When your throat is sore, swallowing is the hardest part. Choose food that needs little chewing, is not scratchy and has plenty of liquid. The NHS advises eating cool or soft foods and drinking plenty of water.

Soft foods that are easy to swallow

Thai food has many soft, moist options that are easy to find at street stalls and convenience stores.

The table shows soft, easy-to-swallow foods; use it as a guide to what you can find. If a food hurts when you swallow, set it aside for now and choose something softer.

Warm or cold drinks: choose what is easiest to swallow

The US CDC advises drinking warm beverages and plenty of fluids. The Faculty of Pharmacy at Mahidol University advises drinking plenty of warm water when you have a sore throat, unless you have a health condition that requires you to limit fluids. Easy warm options include warm water, clear soup or caffeine-free herbal tea. Some people prefer cold water, others warm drinks. Choose whatever you find easiest to swallow.

Small, frequent meals are fine

If swallowing hurts and you can only eat a little at a time, several small meals are fine. Keep drinking through the day as well, as covered in the next section.

What foods and drinks should I avoid with a sore throat?

While your throat is sore, avoid things that irritate or dry it, then go back to your usual food when you can swallow normally again.

Strongly flavoured food

The Faculty of Pharmacy at Mahidol University advises avoiding strongly flavoured food when you have a sore throat. Voice-care advice from Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, says strongly flavoured food, such as very sour, very spicy or very hot food, can irritate and dry the throat.

Hard or crunchy food, such as prawn crackers and crispy fried snacks, can also wait if it hurts to swallow.

Drinks to be careful with

Ramathibodi Hospital's voice-care advice recommends avoiding alcohol, tea, coffee and fizzy drinks, and sipping water often when your throat feels dry. While your throat is sore, you might choose plain or warm water instead of coffee, tea, fizzy drinks and alcohol.

Smoke and other irritants

The NHS advises avoiding smoking and smoky places. Ramathibodi Hospital's voice-care advice recommends avoiding places with smoke, dust, chemicals or toxic fumes.

How much should I drink with a sore throat?

Drinking enough matters while your throat is sore, because when swallowing hurts, many people drink less without noticing.

How much to aim for

The NHS advises 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk and lower-sugar drinks, including tea and coffee, all count; while your throat is sore, you may prefer plain or warm water, as above. You may need more if you are ill or recovering from illness, in a hot environment, or physically active for long periods.

How to tell if you are drinking enough

The NHS advises drinking enough during the day so that your urine is a pale colour. Signs that you may be dehydrated include:

• feeling thirsty
• dark yellow, strong-smelling urine
• passing urine less often than usual
• feeling dizzy or tired
• a dry mouth, lips and tongue

If your sore throat means you are drinking little and you notice these signs, the NHS advises getting medical advice promptly.

Besides food, what else can I do for a sore throat?

The NHS lists several things you can do at home alongside choosing what to eat.

Rest, and rest your voice

The NHS and the Faculty of Pharmacy at Mahidol University advise getting enough rest. Ramathibodi Hospital's voice-care advice says not to talk a lot or sing while you have a sore throat, and to avoid shouting or talking loudly. If your work involves a lot of talking, try to cut down on loud talking for now.

Gargle with warm salty water (adults)

The NHS advises gargling with warm, salty water and says children should not try this. The Faculty of Pharmacy at Mahidol University explains how to make it at home: dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 glass (about 250 millilitres) of warm water, and gargle as often as you like. Gargle, then spit it out.

Suck ice or sweets

The NHS suggests sucking ice cubes, ice lollies or hard sweets. The CDC says not to give lozenges to children younger than 4 years, and the Faculty of Pharmacy at Mahidol University notes that lozenges carry a risk of choking for young children.

Keep the air around you from getting too dry

The CDC suggests using a clean humidifier or cool mist vaporizer. Ramathibodi Hospital's voice-care advice says not to sleep with a fan blowing straight at you, because breathing dry air all the time dries the lining of the airways, and not to breathe through your mouth while talking, especially in cold, dry air-conditioned rooms. If you sleep with the air conditioning on all night, notice whether your throat feels dry when you wake up.

Ask a pharmacist

The NHS says a pharmacist can help with a sore throat, and the CDC advises asking a healthcare provider about over-the-counter medicines. The Faculty of Pharmacy at Mahidol University advises reading the label carefully and asking a pharmacist every time before using lozenges. If you take regular medicines, are pregnant or are breastfeeding, always tell the pharmacist.

I often get a sore throat in the rainy season. What should I do?

If you get a sore throat every rainy season, the step to take is to see a doctor to look into the cause.

Viruses are the most common cause

The CDC says viruses are the most common cause of sore throat, and most sore throats get better on their own within one week. The NHS says sore throats are usually caused by viruses or by smoking, and very occasionally by bacteria.

Things around you that irritate the throat

The CDC lists smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke as one cause of sore throat. Ramathibodi Hospital's voice-care advice says overusing your voice, such as shouting or talking over loud noise, and breathing through your mouth, which draws in dry air and dust, can lead to a sore throat. Notice whether the times you get a sore throat match any of these.

If it keeps coming back, see a doctor

The NHS advises seeing a GP if you often get a sore throat. Keeping a note of the months it happens, how long it lasts and any other symptoms makes it easier to talk it through with the doctor.

When should I see a doctor about a sore throat?

Most sore throats can be looked after at home, but the NHS and the CDC set out clearly when to get medical help.

Young children

The CDC advises medical care for a child under 3 months old with a fever of 38°C or higher, and for excessive drooling in young children.

If you are worried, ask

The NHS advises getting medical advice if you are worried about your symptoms. For any medicine, ask a doctor or pharmacist rather than following what others suggest.

What are the basics of everyday eating?

This section covers the basic eating guidelines for everyone, every day. They are close to the idea of eating from all 5 food groups that is familiar in Thailand.

NHS advice

The NHS Eatwell Guide advises:

• eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day
• base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates
• eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein foods
• have some dairy or alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts
• choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts
• drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid a day

A healthy plate

The Healthy Eating Plate from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health advises making half your plate vegetables and fruits, a quarter whole grains and a quarter protein, drinking water, coffee or tea, and skipping sugary drinks.