Plain, unsweetened yogurt, especially Greek yogurt with live active cultures (probiotics) and Vitamin D, helps a sore throat because it's cool, soft, easy to swallow, and its probiotics support the immune system, though some find dairy thickens mucus, making non-dairy an alternative. Add honey for extra soothing, but avoid crunchy additions, and choose varieties with no added sugar to prevent irritation, says Healthline.
Probiotics in yogurt can be a boost to your immune system. Many yogurts commonly have added sugar, so look for plain yogurt. For some people, consuming dairy can make mucus feel thicker. If you're experiencing postnasal drip worsening your sore throat, non-dairy yogurt may be a good alternative.
8 Foods and Drinks to Soothe Your Sore Throat
For children over age 1, give warm fluids like water, herbal tea with honey, or diluted apple juice. Do not give honey to children under age 1. For some children, cold fluids or popsicles can be soothing. For children over age 4, give throat or cough lozenges or use throat sprays.
Drinking warm milk will help soothe the sore throat caused by tonsillitis, especially when the child has difficulty eating. In addition, dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, whey... are also ideal options to supplement nutrients for babies with tonsillitis.
Antibiotics typically eliminate bacterial tonsillitis in about 10 days. Tonsillitis usually doesn't cause any serious or lasting health problems.
Yogurt. Yogurt's creamy, cool texture is soothing for a sore throat. In addition, it's packed full of immune system-friendly ingredients like protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and probiotic bacteria, all of which help fight disease and offer nourishment to speed up the healing process.
How to treat a sore throat yourself
Many different viral illnesses can cause sore throat. Some common ones are rhinovirus (common cold), flu, adenovirus, and coronaviruses, like COVID-19. These typically lead to redness and rawness in the back of the throat. One virus that really mimics strep throat is the Epstein-Barr virus, the virus that causes mono.
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Milk, ice cream, cheese: Dairy gets a bad rap. Common wisdom says to avoid it when you're stuffy or runny because you'll make more mucus. But there's little evidence to support this. So if you crave ice cream to soothe that sore throat, go ahead and indulge.
Bananas – A soft fruit that will be easy on the throat and is healthy and filling too.
Choose a plain yogurt that contains “live active cultures” and enjoy it with some flavonoid-rich berries. Studies show that people who eat more probiotic dairy foods heal faster when they get sick, since eating yogurt reduces inflammatory markers in the blood.
Try things that are especially soft when cooked, like mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash. Soft fruits: Examples of soft fruits that are easy to swallow include bananas, applesauce, ripe melons, and canned peaches or pears. Eggs: Scrambled and hard-boiled eggs are a perfect sore throat food.
Signs and symptoms of strep throat can include:
June 26, 2025 – The new COVID-19 variant that now makes up about a third of U.S. COVID cases has a signature symptom: a painful sore throat that feels like "razor blades." "This 'razor blade sore throat' was reported as a common symptom in China," where the variant first emerged in May, said Matthew S.
Stage 1 of a sore throat, often the start of a cold or flu, involves early symptoms like a tickle, scratchiness, or mild pain in the throat, possibly with sneezing, usually appearing 1-3 days after infection, and can be managed with rest, fluids, saltwater gargles, and OTC pain relievers, but see a doctor if it's severe, lasts over a week, or comes with a high fever or trouble breathing.
A viral sore throat often comes with cold symptoms like a cough, runny nose, and hoarseness, while a bacterial one (strep throat) usually hits suddenly with severe pain, high fever, no cough, and white spots/pus on tonsils, but only a doctor's test (strep test) can confirm, as symptoms overlap and look similar.
To quickly soothe a sore throat, drink warm liquids like honey lemon tea, chamomile, or broth, which coat and calm irritation, or try cold drinks/popsicles to numb the pain and reduce inflammation, with warm saltwater gargles (for adults/older kids) also offering fast relief by breaking down secretions and killing bacteria.
Gargling with salt water: Salt water may decrease inflammation and make swallowing less painful. Mix 8 ounces (oz) of warm water with 1 teaspoon (tsp) of salt and gargle this solution several times a day. Sipping warm drinks: Warm drinks, such as herbal tea, may help decrease pain.
To help soothe a sore throat:
Yoghurt is an important source of nutrients such as calcium and is easy to eat with a sore throat.
Drink warm liquids that soothe the throat such as broth, tea without caffeine or warm water with honey. Cold treats such as ice pops also can soothe a sore throat. Don't give honey to children younger than age 1. Gargle with saltwater.
Like other dairy products, Greek yogurt contains natural hormones, which can be harmful to people with hormonal imbalances. The pasteurized and homogenized milk used in the yogurt can lead to histamine problems such as acne and eczema, as well as gastrointestinal problems for some people.