Yes, you can eat rice with strep throat, especially plain, cooked rice, as its soft texture is easy to swallow and part of bland diets like BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) that help with nausea and stomach upset, but avoid adding spicy or acidic toppings that can irritate your sore throat. Warm rice, sometimes mixed with yogurt or ginger, can be soothing, but stay hydrated and focus on soft, non-irritating foods.
Here's a list of some good foods for sore throats, according to both Dr. DeMarco and Begun: Warm cereals like oatmeal, grits or cream of rice.
Eat soft foods that are easy to swallow, like yogurt, oatmeal, pasta, and eggs. Avoid foods that are hard, firm, or acidic. These can irritate the throat when it's inflamed.
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Foods to Avoid when You have Strep Throat
Foods to Avoid
10 Foods to Eat When You Have a Sore Throat
Strep throat is highly contagious and you're contagious for 2-5 days before symptoms, but if treated with antibiotics, you're usually no longer contagious after 24-48 hours (1-2 doses) and can return to school/work, while untreated, you can spread it for 2-3 weeks. To prevent spread, wash hands often, cover coughs, don't share items, and stay home until fever-free and 24 hours on antibiotics, say Healthline, Northwestern Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and KidsHealth.
Amoxicillin can interact with medications such as warfarin (Jantoven), allopurinol (Zyloprim), and probenecid (Probalan). It may also interact with alcohol and some live vaccines. Make sure to provide an updated medication list to your prescriber and pharmacist. This will help them check for amoxicillin interactions.
Unfortunately, you can't cure strep throat overnight. A type of bacteria causes strep throat. Therefore, you need an antibiotic to clear it up. After starting on an antibiotic, you should start to feel better within a day or two.
Food and drink tips for sore throats:
Stick to cool, soft foods and avoid foods like toast, which can make the throat feel more painful. Warm drinks can be soothing but hot drinks can make the pain feel worse.
Chicken soup.
The broth in chicken soup soothes a sore throat and helps inhibit the movement of white blood cells called neutrophils, which help the immune system fight infection, the hot fluid promotes movement of nasal mucus and keeps you hydrated, and the salt helps your tissues retain fluids.
DOs and DON'Ts in Managing Strep Throat:
DO avoid contact with someone with a strep throat. Don't share personal items such as drinking glasses. DO eat soothing foods such as soups, cooked cereal, mashed potatoes, and yogurt. Very cold foods such as sherbet or frozen yogurt also may be soothing.
Plain white bread or toast
Food may be particularly unappealing if you're dealing with symptoms like an upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting. Try eating bland, starchy foods like plain white bread — or similar foods like crackers, rice, or boiled potatoes.
Recommended Foods:
There are lots of natural supplements that can help you fight off infections like strep throat faster. This includes vitamin C, zinc and probiotics which help boost the immune system's effectiveness in fighting off bacterial infections like strep throat.
Milk and dairy products can reduce the absorption of certain antibiotics. The primary reason is that dairy is rich in divalent cations like calcium (and to a lesser extent magnesium). When some antibiotics are taken by mouth, these metal ions from dairy readily bind to the drug molecules in a process called chelation.
How long antibiotics stay in your system depends on the type of antibiotic you are taking, plus additional factors like dosage, metabolic rate, age, and body mass. Common antibiotics may stay in your system for up to 24 hours after your final dose.
The most common amoxicillin side effects are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These usually go away after you finish taking the medication. Contact your healthcare professional (HCP) right away if you experience any serious side effects, such as severe diarrhea or symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Can I sleep next to someone with strep throat? It's best to avoid close contact, including sleeping next to an infected person, to reduce the risk of transmission.
Gargle with Salt Water
Gargling warm salt water (about half a teaspoon in a cup of warm water) several times a day can reduce swelling, kill bacteria, and provide quick comfort.
Survival Outside Host
The bacterium can survive on a dry surface for 3 days to 6.5 months.
With popular diets like Ketogenic, carbs and starchy foods like potatoes have been deemed unhealthy. However, just like most food groups, mashed potatoes can be healthy if eaten in moderation, and depending on how they are cooked.
Hot fluids, such as tea or soup, may help your throat feel better. Eat soft solids and drink plenty of liquids. Flavoured ice pops, ice cream, scrambled eggs, sherbet, and gelatin dessert (such as Jell-O) may also soothe the throat.
Apples, bananas and pomegranates are all good choices. Eat citrus if it sounds good but be careful if you are nauseous or have a sore throat; too much of these high-acidity fruits may make you feel worse.