There is something about singing that makes the world go round. But do you know what singers have to go through to make sure they sound melodious at least 80% of the time? Aside from constant rehearsals, they go out of their way to avoid certain foods which are known to be harmful to their vocal health.
As a singer, your vocal cord is very fragile and needs to be taken care of. A little stress on it, such as singing too loud, yelling, and screaming, can tamper with your vocal health. A healthy vocal cord equals a melodious voice you know.
The question now is, what can you do to make sure your vocal cord is in good health?
One of the most effective ways you can take care of your vocal cord and enhance your voice as a singer is to stick to a healthy diet; which is more like avoiding foods that can be harmful to your vocal health.
Here are 10 foods that can help enhance your singing.
1. Water
Nothing you eat or drink gets into the vocal cords directly, but your vocal health depends a great deal on foods anyway. Staying hydrated has a direct and immediate effect on your voice, whether you’re singing, humming, or just speaking.
The vocal cords are sustained by mucus, which can dry up if you’re dehydrated. Drinking lots of water can help keep your throat and mouth lubricated and effective enough to make good sounds. And always try as much as you can to stay away from cold water and cold drinks generally.
2. Fresh fruits
Organic fruits certainly have good health benefits, but even more than that is their effects on your voice. If you can take out some time to eat fruits consistently every morning, you’ll come to realize a dramatic improvement in your voice and your singing.
The whole point still centers on providing your vocal cords with enough lubrication to serve you melodiously. Organic fruits leave a hydrating effect on your vocals, as well as much other goodness. Avocado, for example, has oils in them. Not just any oils, but the omega-3 fatty acids. They protect the vocal cords and give them deeper lubrication.
More examples of fruits that are good for your vocals are bananas, lemon, orange, lime, apples, grapes, guavas, and pineapples.
3. Honey
Taking honey is one of the best ways you can prevent your vocal cords from getting strained. If your voice is already bad, you can treat it with honey as well. Taking two teaspoons of honey in hot water can heal your troubled voice in as little as 3 to 7 days. You can take it every day though, but be sure to consult your doctor about it to avoid tampering with your sugar levels.
Honey has been used by singers to strengthen their voice since time immemorial, and it is not surprising that it’s still in use till today. It has some rare properties combined in one to give your voice (and general health) the possible best. Some of the active ingredients of honey include biogenic stimulators, anti-inflammatory compounds, a lot of trace elements, etc.
4. Chicken
It’s important to stay well fed while performing, but not overfed. You need to eat foods that are both filling and sustaining to carry you through as a singer. Most of such kind of foods are proteins, eg: chicken.
Chicken, in particular, has managed to capture the interest of a lot of singers. This is because they’ve proven to be a friendly singing food over and over again. Chicken can be eaten as a main meal or part of a meal. There are lots of chicken recipes out there, any of which can do.
5. Fish
Fish is another singing food that can help you stay filled, healthy, and strong enough to sing for a long while. Fish contains vitamins and nutrients that can help the body kick against hunger, enhance your mood, and give you the feeling of comfort. In other words, you’ll experience little to no stress at all if you eat fish a couple of hours before singing.
6. Vegetables
One thing about vegetables is that they contain a whole lot of vitamins and minerals, two very important components that are necessary for the health of your vocal cords. These vitamins and minerals are helpful in fighting off infections and promoting good respiratory health.
7.Nuts
Do you know singing is a sport that takes up a whole lot of energy? That is why performers have some sort of drinks and snacks at hand to help them keep hunger at bay while they perform. One of the best snacks that can help you stay full and optimally active as a singer are nuts.
Nuts are a great source of many nutrients, loaded with antioxidants to fight oxidative stress, which can have adverse effects on your voice while singing. Nuts are also good for fighting inflammation which may lead to voice diseases like Laryngitis and Tonsillitis.
8. Peanut butter
There are a lot of unknown health benefits of peanut butter, including keeping the vocal cords healthy and strong enough to sing for long. If you’re not allergic to peanuts, then, by all means, make peanut and peanut butter a part of your diet and your voice will thank you for it.
How does peanut or peanut butter help with your singing?
According to experts, nuts contain healthy fats, including monosaturated and poly saturated fats. These healthy fats are rich in antioxidants and they contain a good number of nutrients too. All of these contribute towards keeping your body healthy, and one of the ways it shows is in the way you sound when you sing.
9. Non-gassy drinks
Aside from lukewarm water, you can take other forms of drinks; just make sure they are not gassy. Staying hydrated can help you sing for a really long time, and it is understandable if you don’t want to drink water all the time. You can go for drinks like flat soda, green tea, infused water, etc.
10. Decaf licorice root tea
Herbal teas are generally great for singers, especially when they have licorice tea in them. A lot of times, licorice is used in candies and medicines which are known to be effective for health issues like heart burns, sore throats, and inflammation, to mention but a few.
Although licorice is such good food for singers, it is important to watch how much of it you consume to avoid any side effects. You should probably talk to your doctor or an expert about how much licorice consumption is healthy for you.
All the foods listed here are good for healthy living, but be sure to check in with your doctor before making them a part of your diet. Especially if you already have an underlying health condition.
