11 Top Foods to Eat With a Sore Throat

They can ease the pain—and boost your immune system, too.

Medically reviewed by Suzanne Fisher, RD

While you may not feel like eating much of anything when you have a sore throat, some foods to eat with a sore throat include vegetable broth, eggs, yogurt, and oatmeal.

These and other choices—including drinks—are all soothing, easy to swallow, and rich in nutrients. Here's what else you need to know, including foods and drinks to avoid, other sore throat remedies, and when to see a healthcare provider.

1. All-Fruit Popsicles

The ice-cold feel of a tasty ice pop can offer immediate relief for a sore throat. However, you'll want to look for brands with pureed fruit or juice only.

Many pre-made options are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup or other added sugars and unwanted additives, like artificial colors and flavors. While these other ingredients may not always affect a sore throat directly, it's best to consume them in moderation.

You can make ice pops in BPA-free molds with antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries, pomegranate juice, and cherries. You could also include vegetables by blending leafy greens or spinach with green fruit, like kiwi.

2. Chamomile Tea

Steep a bag of chamomile tea in a cup of hot water the next time you have a sore throat. In addition to providing anti-inflammatory compounds, chamomile can help people fall asleep fast. Some evidence has suggested that postpartum females who drank chamomile tea before bed had better sleep quality than those who didn't.

Sleep is especially vital when you're sick. Sleep allows your body to rest while fighting off the bacteria or viruses that make you feel ill. If you don't get enough sleep, the number of natural killer (NK) cells decreases. NK cells play a role in reducing your risk for illnesses like viral infections.

3. Eggs

Several nutrients can help your immune system, including vitamins A, C, D, and E, selenium, and zinc. Eggs are an option that has a few of those nutrients. One whole egg—the yolk and the egg white—contains vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, and selenium.

If you're looking for a way to eat eggs, try them scrambled. Scrambled eggs are a soft option and easy on the throat.

4. Ginger

Fresh ginger root is a potent antioxidant. The health-promoting benefits of ginger also include anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. Peel, grate, and add ginger to your:

• Chamomile tea with honey

• Homemade fruit pops

• Mashed sweet potato

• Oatmeal

• Smoothies

5. Honey

If a cough accompanies your sore throat, honey can help. The sweet stuff may be practical as a cough suppressant medication. Additionally, honey exerts antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Look for organic, raw honey or Manuka honey, which hails from New Zealand with incredibly potent antibiotic qualities. Add honey to your chamomile tea or oatmeal, drizzle over mashed sweet potato, whip into smoothies—or lick it right off the spoon.

6. Mashed Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes provide two essential immune-supporting nutrients: vitamins A and C. Both of those vitamins are antioxidants that protect cells against aging and disease.

Sweet potatoes are also full of anti-inflammatory compounds. Research has found that those root vegetables, mainly purple ones, exhibit anti-inflammatory activities. Plus, the mashed texture is soothing for a sore throat.

Mix cinnamon with maple syrup or honey. Then, fold into the mash or blend both with a few water-soaked dates, almond flour, and maple syrup to make a nutritious "pudding."

7. Oatmeal

Oats are a grain that's filling and easy to digest. Also, the antioxidants and magnesium in oats help curb inflammation, while zinc supports immunity and healing. Research has found that polyphenols in oats possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Like broth, oats offer a base you can blend with other healthful ingredients, like a mashed banana. A terrific add-in due to its mushy texture, bananas also have vitamin C and other antioxidants that add a nutritional boost.

You can also stir in honey, ginger, and cinnamon. Enjoy warm oats mixed with hot water, soak in almond milk with pureed fruit and spices overnight, and eat chilled.

8. Smoothies

A smoothie can quickly become a complete meal. If you choose your ingredients well, smoothies can provide healthy protein, good fat, and nutrient-rich carbohydrates, in addition to vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

If your appetite is poor, a smoothie or two per day can help you meet overall nutrient needs and simultaneously soothe a sore throat. Blend a handful of greens with plant protein powder, nut butter or avocado, nut milk or water, frozen fruit, fresh ginger root, turmeric, and black pepper.

9. Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherry juice may be helpful for a sore throat. In addition to quelling inflammation, it may help you get some rest. That's because tart cherries are one of the few foods that naturally contain melatonin.

Studies have found that in addition to improving sleep, consuming cherries brings many health benefits, including decreasing:

• Arthritis

• Blood pressure

• Exercise-induced muscle soreness and loss of strength

• Inflammation

• Oxidative stress
  

10. Vegetable Broth

A warm cup of broth is comforting, and the steam can help loosen congestion if you're also stuffed up. Plus, vegetable broth can provide nutrients and antioxidants and become a vehicle for delivering other beneficial ingredients, such as garlic.

Garlic has sulfur compounds that fight inflammation and contains anti-bacterial, viral, and fungal compounds, which can boost immunity. Research has demonstrated that aged garlic extract may enhance immune cell function, reducing cold and flu symptoms (as well as missed days of work or school).

11. Yogurt

Yogurt is a cool, soft food to eat with a sore throat. Because it's cold, you may relieve a sore throat by eating yogurt. Additionally, yogurt has vitamin A and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains probiotics—beneficial live bacteria for the digestive system—which help with immune system regulation.

Add yogurt to a smoothie, or eat it with some honey. You can also try dairy-free yogurts with bases such as almonds, coconut, or oats.

Foods and Drinks to Avoid

Some foods and drinks can make a sore throat feel worse and are best to avoid or limit. They include:

• Acidic products, including acidic juices (e.g., orange or tomato) and vinegar

• Carbonated drinks

• Hard or very crunch foods such as crackers or dry toast

• Spicy foods

• Very hot foods and drinks

Sore Throat Remedies

Eating or avoiding and limiting certain foods and drinks can be helpful for a sore throat. However, other sore throat remedies include:

• Gargling with warm salt water, using just a little salt—no more than a 1/2 teaspoon

• Sucking on hard candies or throat lozenges

• Using a humidifier or over-the-counter pain medications

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

Consult a healthcare provider if you have a sore throat and you:

• Develop a fever, swollen neck lymph nodes, or a rash
  

• Have a persistent sore throat

• Have trouble breathing—which needs immediate medical attention

• Have worsened symptoms after three days of antibiotics for sore throats caused by bacteria

• See no symptom improvement

A Quick Review

There are many foods you can eat if you want relief from a sore throat, such as mashed sweet potatoes, all-fruit popsicles, and smoothies. Other sore throat remedies include options like taking pain medications or gargling with warm salt water.

However, you'll want to avoid foods and drinks that are acidic, spicy, or very hot. See a healthcare provider if you have a sore throat that doesn't go away, gets worse, or comes with symptoms like fever or trouble breathing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is peanut butter good when sick?

There's not much research available to support if you should or should not eat peanut butter while you're sick with a sore throat. However, it may be fine in small amounts when added with other ingredients, like in a smoothie.

Is ice cream good for a sore throat?

You can eat ice cream to soothe a sore throat, as it is a soft, cold food.

How long does a sore throat usually last?

The length of time a sore throat lasts depends on the cause. For example, sore throats caused by a cold or flu virus may last from one week to 10 days. A sore throat due to mononucleosis (mono) might not go away for four weeks or more.

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