Milk is bad for singers because it stresses your vocal cords. However, there are many health benefits to drinking milk, so we don't suggest cutting it out from your diet altogether. Instead, avoid drinking milk on rehearsal and performance days.
Dairy is highly inflammatory and it can cause acid reflux and excessive mucus in the throat, which can irritate the vocal cords. If you're craving similar flavours, we recommend Oat Milk (Oatly Barista is a must for us), Coconut Yoghurt and, as for cheese, Daiya is an amazing dairy free cheese brand we love.
Best drink for singing voice
Drinking water at room temperature is the best possible drink you can have as a singer. Cold drinks or beverages with ice will shock your vocal cords, causing them to tense up. Hot drinks are just as risky before a performance, as they can inflame your vocal cords.
The best drinks before singing are warm drinks without caffeine or milk, warm water and herbal teas containing manuka honey, lemon and ginger are ideal. Warm or room-temperature water will hydrate your vocal cords, making them more supple and less liable to injury.
The best drinks for your singing voice are water (especially room-temperature water, perhaps with a squeeze or two of lemon) and tea, but be careful about consuming too much caffeine, which can dehydrate you. You can find wonderful herbal teas designed for singers.
Milk is bad for singers because it stresses your vocal cords. However, there are many health benefits to drinking milk, so we don't suggest cutting it out from your diet altogether. Instead, avoid drinking milk on rehearsal and performance days.
Some foods and beverages to avoid prior to singing are mucous producing foods such as dairy, stimulants such as caffeine and spicy foods, soft drinks, refined sugars, chocolate, iced drinks and alcohol (including wine and beer).
Hot fluids increase mucus that lines the pharynx which can affect your tone. Also, if you swallow hot fluids, this is likely to cause inflammation which will increase sensitivity and make singing overall more difficult and uncomfortable.
Pineapple juice is a natural anti-inflammatory that will help to soothe your vocals. Additionally, pineapple juice prevents build-up in your throat, keeping it clear and allowing you to hit those high notes.
Using the straw is basically making the vocal tract longer because the straw is extending the space where the sound is resonating. The elongation of the vocal tract allows the larynx to lower to a neutral position. When the larynx is neutral, you can't over-squeeze.
Milk. When you drink milk, it increases the mucus in the back of the nose and throat. This can make your voice unclear and cause you to cough and clear your throat more often, which can damage your vocal cords.
When you keep properly hydrated, you are setting yourself up for good voice quality. Most experts recommend drinking 8-10 eight-ounce glasses of water daily to ensure this.
For most people, eating dairy products like milk, yogurt, ice cream or cottage cheese will create mucus, and should be avoided within a couple of hours before singing. For most, hard cheeses don't do that. Mucus coats your throat and makes it harder to sing.
High in fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals, soy milk may be an acceptable substitute for your palate. Proponents of soy milk products suggest that it doesn't generate the mucus build-up apparent after drinking regular milk and they imply the taste is just as good as the real thing.
The creamy texture of bananas can produce extra mucus and coat your throat, which leads to unclear vocals. The thickness of a banana will inhibit your singing ability and are best to be avoided right before your performance. Eating a banana is essentially the same as eating dairy before singing, both are bad news.
Honey is known to have powerful soothing effects on your voice, vocal cords, and throat. It's rich in antioxidants and has antibacterial properties which help fight bacterial infections in the throat. Honey can help singers recover quicker from strained, sore, and lost voices.
A healthy voice requires a strong body with generally good muscle tone and endurance. So plan to eat a balance of protein, fruits and vegetables, whole grains and beans, and moderate amounts of healthy fats and oils. The current typical American diet of highly processed, packaged food lacks many essential nutrients.
Is lemon good for your voice? Yes, as lemon has a high source of vitamin C to help fight infection and, like honey, contains calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. Lemons contain citric acid which helps to break down the mucus in your throat and also helps to relieve you of throat inflammations.
Generally, singers should avoid consuming ice cream and other dairy products before singing. Dairy foods cause phlegm and mucus to build up. That mucus is thick and makes you want to clear your throat. Unless dairy products don't bother your voice, avoid ice cream and any other dairy products before singing.
Nuts: you can always include nuts in your daily nutrition. Before singing, you should opt for raw, unsalted options, because the salt will dry out your throat. Chicken/Fish: you may include chicken or fish in your meals leading up to singing, because both are lean protein and will fill you up.
Milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy
It's a big no-no before your show. In many cases, it causes acid reflux that can creep up your esophagus and burn your vocal cords. In all cases, it tends to cling to everything in your throat, thickening the mucus that's already present.
Food You Should Eat
In all seriousness, while it's important to still eat in moderation and to not eat within two hours of a performance, keep an eye out for these voice-friendly foods: Hard- and soft-boiled eggs. Plain baked fish, such as salmon or tilapia, but stay away from the tartar sauce.