The Best Foods for Singers
Attention, pop stars, karaoke junkies, and anyone who sings in the shower: What you ate for dinner, whether it was a slice or a bucket of fried chicken, may well affect your vocal performance.
Singing sensation Paul Potts learned this somewhere along the way. Potts worked various low-paying jobs before winning “Britain’s Got Talent" and inspiring the 2013 film “One Chance,” which will stream on Yahoo Screen September 30 through October 10. Songstress Taylor Swift, who lent her vocal talent to the movie's soundtrack, knows this, too.
Vocal coach Brett Manning, who has worked with Swift in the past, taught her that the food she ate immediately before taking the stage can greatly impact a performance. "Taylor has a fantastic work ethic, and she’s very careful about what she puts in her body," Manning told us.
Here’s Manning’s rundown of what to eat and what not to eat:
Yes: Green Tea. Manning believes that green tea products (he swears by antioxidant-rich Calli) help cleanse the throat of mucus and phlegm, which can make the voice hoarse and singing difficult. “A lot of my singers have used it for years,” Manning said. “They say it’s like cheating!”
No: Pizza and Hamburgers. Chowing down on greasy fare rich in saturated fat before a gig can cause acid reflux, which inflames the vocal cords. “Once cords are swollen, they lose their elasticity, tone quality, and agility,” Manning explained. "You feel like you have to yell to sing notes."
Yes: Watermelon. Vocal cords, which vibrate rapidly during a performance, rely on water to stay lubricated. Foods that contain a large percentage of water—hi, watermelon!—help singers stay hydrated. Apples, pears, peaches, melons, grapes, plums, bell peppers, and applesauce will also do the trick, according to LiveScience.
No: Regular and Diet Sodas. Diet soda, which can contain dehydrating sodium and caffeine, is “the worst for you,” Manning said. Both regular and diet sodas may contain caffeine, which can cause stomach irritation and inflame acid reflux.
Yes: Leafy Green Vegetables. Kale and similar vegetables can help improve circulation and reduce inflammation, which makes singing a breezier affair. “Bad circulation causes you to have a tight throat,” Manning said, while the opposite “makes muscles flexible and pliable.”
Maybe: Dairy. Though some singers stay away from dairy like the plague—many claim it causes phlegm to develop—Manning is unconvinced. “In Italy, almost nobody avoids dairy.” He leave it up to his clients to decide whether or not to indulge in a bite of ice cream before a show.
Of course, “there are people who do anything and eat anything, and still sing and appear to be healthy,” Manning stressed.
Regardless, they’re wise tips to keep in mind next time you’re ready to bust out your classic rendition of “Maneater" or "Shake It Off.”
