Your daily water consumption affects not only your health but also your voice. Does drinking water improve your singing voice?
The answer is yes. Staying hydrated is essential to keep you a good voice. When you take enough water, your vocal cords will get enough mucus to stay healthy. You will sing well with healthy vocal cords, so you should drink water for a better voice.
Besides water, many foods and drinks are beneficial to your singing voice. Let’s read on to learn more about the reasonable diet for your vocal.
Does Drinking Water Improve Your Singing Voice?
Providing your body with enough water brings you a lot of health benefits, including optimizing your voice.
You can speak, sing or make sounds thanks to the vibration of your vocal folds or vocal cords. A layer of mucus on vocal cords protects them from the friction created by this vibration.
Your vocal cords can only get enough mucus when your entire body stays hydrated. If you let your vocal cords dry, they will be prone to irritation and injury.
You can’t directly moisturize vocal cords, so you need to drink enough water. Only in this way, your vocal cords will get lubricated naturally and operate well.
How Much Water Is Adequate?
According to the NHS, to stay hydrated, you need to take at least 6-8 glasses of water per day. And you should distribute this amount of water to drink multiple times.
Bringing a water bottle along with you is a way to ensure sufficient water consumption. You can get a water tracker bottle as it will remind you of drinking water every hour.
Water will take about 30 minutes to hours to reach your vocal cords from your stomach. So, it’s better to take a glass of water at least 30 minutes before your singing performance.
Your urine color will tell the level of your hydration. If you have pale and clear urine, you get hydrated enough.
Generally, you need to drink water even when you don’t feel thirsty. Feeling thirsty means that your body becomes dehydrated.
If you are a singer with a busy schedule, you probably forget to replenish your body with water. You should pay attention to the following dehydration signs to rehydrate yourself.
- You feel thirsty.
- You want to clear your throat frequently.
- You pass dark yellow urine.
- Your voice becomes weakened.
Some Ways To Spice Up Your Water
Two liters of plain water per day may be boring for many people. If the taste of water makes you drink less, you can spice up it in the following ways.
- Add some slices of fresh fruits like orange or lemon into the water. They will give your glass of water an appealing look and fresh flavor.
- Make the water more attractive with aromatic leaves like mint, rosemary, thyme, basil, etc.
- Boil water with fruit peels like peaches and apples will give the water a nice color and a fruity aroma.
- Infuse some pieces of fresh pineapple, watermelon, or berries in your glass of water. It will look more beautiful and have more flavor than plain water.
- Put some slices of cucumber into the water to make it taste fresher.
You can watch this video to learn more ways to make water taste better. You will get more motivation to drink water and keep your hydration level up.
What Foods And Drinks Are Good For Your Singing Voice
Your diet also has some effects on your vocal health. Below are some foods and drinks you should consume to benefit your voice.
What foods are good for singing
Here are the best foods that can give you a healthy voice.
#1. Foods that contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances
Antioxidants will help preserve your youthful voice. Anti-inflammatory substances will help prevent laryngitis. To supplement these substances to your body, you can add the following foods into your diet.
- Honey
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Cinnamon
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Berries
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Dark green vegetables
#2. Foods that are rich in alkaline
Acid reflux is one of the greatest fears of singers. One of the causes of acid reflux is excessive acid in the stomach. So, you should eat the following alkaline-rich foods to neutralize this acid.
- Tofu
- Almonds
- Avocado
- Sweet potatoes
- Bucky wheat
- Celery
- Fruits
#3. Foods with high water contents
In addition to drinking water, you can replenish your body with water contained in foods. They can hydrate your vocal cords and help you sing better. Here are some hydrating foods that you can try.
- Cantaloup and other types of melons
- Apple
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Celery
- Bok choy
- Cucumber
- Some broth soups such as miso soup, chicken soup, and lotus pork rib soup
#4. Sources of Protein
Singing is an energy-consuming activity, so you need protein to have strong vocal cords. Sources of protein for singers include the foods listed below.
- Chicken
- Fish
- Eggs
- Lean grass-fed meat
- Tofu
- Lentils
- Nuts
- Chickpeas
- Hemp Seeds
- Quinoa
- Chia seeds
#5. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates also provide energy for your body and can improve your immune system. The best carbohydrate foods are:
- Beans
- Sweet potatoes
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat
- Oatmeal
#6. Foods with healthy fats
You should take some plan-based fats to help your vocal cords operate more smoothly. Healthy fats are rich in the foods below.
- Coconut oil
- Olive oil
- Hemp oil
- Avocado
- Nuts
What drinks are good for your singing voice
As we mentioned above, staying hydrated will help you promote your vocal health. Below is the list of good drinks for your singing voice.
#1. Water
If you are wondering which is the best drink for singing voice, water is the answer. It will keep you hydrated to lubricate your vocal cords.
Filtered water, pure water, or mineral water are all good for your voice. You should drink room temperature water or warm water instead of hot or cold water.
Hot water will stimulate the production of mucus. Too much mucus will make it harder for you to sing. Sometimes, hot water even inflames your throat and vocal cords.
Coldwater can tense your vocal cords and reduce the quality of your voice.
#2. Ginger tea
Due to the high amount of anti-inflammatory substances, ginger tea can effectively cure your sore throat or a bad cold.
You can crush a piece of fresh ginger, then add warm water and drink. There are also many types of ginger tea bags or ginger lozenges. These products also have the same effect as fresh ginger tea, but they are very convenient.
#3. Chamomile tea
A cup of warm chamomile tea will soothe your vocal cords and improve your sleep. This tea also works well in calming your body. So, if you feel nervous before a singing performance, chamomile tea is an excellent drink.
#4. Licorice root tea
Licorice root tea is one of the most chosen herbal tea by singers. It’s good at soothing and hydrating your throat.
Your vocal cords will benefit from antimicrobial and antiviral properties in licorice roots. You can find licorice root tea in every health food store.
#5. Peppermint tea
The next tea you should add to your voice-protecting drink list is peppermint tea. This tea will help you go through a bad cold quickly. It will warm your throat and remove phlegm.
You can make peppermint tea from fresh peppermint leaves or use dried tea.
#6. Honey solutions
Honey has high antibacterial properties, and you can use it in case of a sore throat. Mix a teaspoon of honey with a cup of warm water or herbal tea, and you will have a good drink for your voice.
Besides, honey is naturally sweet, and it can make your tea taste better.
Foods And Drinks You Should Avoid To Protect Your Voice
Now, let’s take a look at the list of the foods and drinks you should avoid to have a healthy voice.
Bad foods for your singing voice
To keep a good voice, you should stay away from the foods below no matter how much you like them.
#1. Cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products
Dairy products will form extra mucus that reduces the clarity of your voice.
Besides, they are inflammatory and will cause your stomach to increase acid secretion. You will run the risk of acid reflux if you eat dairy products.
#2. Processed sugar and sugary foods
The natural sugar in fruits is good for you, but processed sugar isn’t.
You should stay away from sugary foods like candies or gummy snacks. Like dairy products, processed sugar will increase phlegm in your mouth and throat.
Besides, this sugar gives you a false sense of fullness. You will lack energy, and your vocal cords will quickly wear out.
#3. Fried foods
If you are a fan of fried chicken or french fries, you should limit or stop eating them. Deep-fried foods contain a lot of harmful fat that will become a burden on your digestive system. They can cause heartburn and may ruin your voice.
#4. Salty foods
Consuming too much salt will dehydrate your body and vocal cords quickly. So, you should avoid salty foods such as bacon or processed meats.
#5. Spicy foods
Like fried foods, spicy foods also trigger heartburn. Don’t eat them on your day of performance, or heartburn will ruin your show. Also, too spicy foods may hurt your throat and mouth.
#6. Chocolate
Chocolate is rich in antioxidants, but it also contains caffeine. Your vocal cord can get dry if you eat chocolate before singing.
Bad drinks for your singing voice
The drinks listed below are not beneficial to your singing voice. You should avoid drinking them, especially before your singing performance.
#1. Milk
Like other dairy products, milk will make the mucus on your vocal cords thicker. Your voice will sound unclear with extra phlegm. Milk is also indigestible and can trigger acid reflux.
#2. Alcoholic drinks
Alcoholic drinks will dry out your vocal cords and may change your voice. Thus, it’s better to avoid drinking alcohol for good vocal health.
#3. Caffeinated drinks
Coffee, tea, and other caffeinated drinks will make you piss more frequently and cause dehydration. Your vocal cords will not get enough mucus to lubricate and can’t work well.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you are clear about the effect of water on your singing voice. Drinking enough water can make your vocal cords work better.
Besides, there are a lot of foods and drinks that benefit your voice. You should consume them more and avoid bad foods and drinks to have good vocal health.
Thank you for reading!
