Understanding various home remedies and medications for soothing your throat and promoting healing is essential. If coffee is your go-to drink, you might wonder if it's beneficial for a sore throat. Is it? Learn more in this article.
Sore throats are primarily associated with the flu or cold. They are irritating and make it difficult to swallow. With your throat feeling dry and scratchy, the last thing you’ll want is to worsen the condition. Avoiding certain foods and drinks while trying several home remedies to ease the pain. So, should you turn to coffee when you have a sore throat?
Generally, coffee is known for its various health benefits. But is it good for sore throat? Keep reading this article to learn whether coffee can help soothe or harm your throat.
What is a Sore Throat?
A sore throat is an inflammation at the back of the throat. Viruses, bacteria, allergies, irritants, or yeast cause it. While it may be a common and harmless condition, a sore throat can cause discomfort, pain, or scratchiness during swallowing and swollen glands. In most cases, these symptoms usually aggravate when you eat and drink certain meals. Therefore, it’s important to be mindful of what you consume with a sore throat.
Is Coffee Good for Sore Throat?
Yes, coffee is good for sore throats. Coffee contains various compounds that can help alleviate sore throat symptoms. Therefore, consider drinking coffee to reduce the inflammation and swelling of your throat. However, you should avoid taking very hot coffee or excessive amounts to avoid irritating your sore throat. When taken in moderation, coffee can be an excellent natural remedy for sore throats.
How Does Coffee Help With Sore Throat?
Coffee can be an excellent way of relieving your sore throat pain. It helps ease the symptoms in the following ways:
- Anti-inflammatory properties: Coffee is a natural anti-inflammatory that can help reduce inflammation in the throat. It works by blocking adenosine which causes inflammation.
- Its warm temperature: The warmth of the coffee provides a comforting sensation that can help soothe a sore throat.
- It’s a natural expectorant: Drinking coffee can help remove the mucus in your throat. This mucus may hold bacteria and viruses that may worsen your sore throat.
Therefore, coffee can speed up the healing process of your sore throat and help get rid of the symptoms.
How to Make Your Coffee More Healing?
You can make your coffee more healing by adding other ingredients and ensuring you have the right coffee. Here are different ways you can make your coffee more healing:
- Add honey: Honey has antibacterial properties that help soothe your sore throat.
- Lemon juice: Add a few drops of lemon juice to your coffee. It has Vitamin C, which reduces inflammation and alleviates your sore throat.
- Add cinnamon: This is another ingredient that can reduce throat irritation.
- Buy organic fair-trade coffee beans: These are more natural and more beneficial.
- Use low-acid coffee: Acidic coffee can aggravate a sore throat. Therefore, it’s best to go for low-acid coffee when you have a sore throat.
- Drink warm coffee: Drinking very hot coffee can irritate a sore throat. Therefore, you should let your coffee cool down before drinking it to avoid burning your throat.
Generally, coffee mixed with other ingredients is more effective in helping with a sore throat. However, it’s recommended that you try different home remedies before adding coffee to your sore throat healing routine.
Can Coffee Be Bad for Sore Throat?
While coffee may be a suitable remedy for your sore throat, it can also worsen the condition. Some of the adverse effects of drinking coffee when you have a sore throat include the following:
Diuretic effects:
The caffeine in coffee is diuretic, which causes dehydration. While coffee still hydrates you, its diuretic effects cause the body to produce more urine, eventually dehydrating you. This will irritate and dry your throat, aggravating your sore throat. However, coffee only causes dehydration when drunk in large quantities. Drinking more water when you have a sore throat can help keep your body hydrated.
Acidic properties
Most types of coffee are acidic hence can aggravate an already sore throat. Therefore, you should carefully choose the type of coffee you use and opt for coffee with less acidity. This involves using shade-grown coffee other than sun-grown beans, which are more acidic.
Burning effects
Gulping hot coffee can burn your mouth and throat, which could worsen your sore throat. Therefore, ensure your coffee is at the right temperature before drinking it. If you accidentally drink extremely hot coffee, follow it with a cold drink or food to reduce the burning sensation.
Caffeine content
You’ll need enough sleep to heal faster with a sore throat. However, coffee is caffeinated, making you restless and preventing you from getting enough rest. This can worsen your sore throat when taken in large amounts.
Other Drinks and Home Remedies for Sore Throats
Apart from coffee, you can also ease your sore throat pain by eating and drinking the following:
- Warm salt water
- Apple cider vinegar
- Garlic
- Sage tea
- Echinacea tea
- Cinnamon tea
- Warm broth
These drinks have anti-inflammatory and soothing properties that help alleviate your sore throat.
What to Avoid When Having a Sore Throat
Some certain foods and drinks can irritate your throat and worsen your condition. Some of the sore throats triggers you should avoid include:
- Hot beverages, including a hot cup of coffee
- Spicy foods
- Alcohol
- Salty foods
- Acidic foods and drinks
How to Avoid a Sore Throat
The burning feeling at the back of your throat can be quite irritating. You can take these steps to avoid getting a sore throat.
- Maintain high levels of cleanliness and proper hygiene
- Wash your hands regularly
- Avoid sharing food, drinks, and utensils
- Avoid touching your eyes and face
- Ensure you get a flu vaccine every year
- Avoid smoking
- Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated
You should also ensure that you eat a healthy diet and get enough rest. This will help boost your immune system, which can help prevent a sore throat.
Conclusion
A scratchy, painful throat makes it difficult to swallow and even sometimes to breathe. However, trying various home remedies, including coffee, is recommended before seeing a doctor. Coffee can significantly help your sore throat improve and provide temporary relief from the discomfort caused.
However, you should be mindful of the amount of coffee you take. Drinking excessive coffee and at unbearable temperatures can worsen your sore throat. You should also consider seeing a doctor if your symptoms worsen or don’t improve within a few days.
){kind=link}