This week Alex and Helen mythbust some of the common misconceptions surrounding diet and singing.

Caffeine

A huge topic in the vocal world, there are many conversations about caffeine being a vocal irritant, drying out the cords and preventing healthy singing.

Mythbust: It’s important to remember that nothing you eat or drink directly touches the vocal folds; that is a physical impossibility. Caffeine is a diuretic and therefore dehydrates the whole body. In understanding that we can combat the effects with caffeine by drinking a healthy amount of water throughout the day. It’s also worth considering how much caffeine you ingest a day. It’s unlikely that 1 or 2 coffees will have a major effect, however, 6 or 7 might!

Alcohol

Like caffeine, alcohol dehydrates the body (note we’re saying the body, not the larynx/voice). And again, like caffeine, you can take in enough water to offset the alcohol you drink. However, we know that there are times when we all have a little too much to drink and we need to be conscious of how alcohol affects our ability to sing.

For some, alcohol is no problem and they can sing on a hangover without any difficulty. For others, it’s not so easy. When it comes to alcohol we recommend getting to know your body and how your body copes when hungover. It might sound lame but if you’re unable to sing when hungover it might be helpful to plan nights when you know you can enjoy a few drinks because nothing is required of you the following day, allowing you enough time to rest, rehydrate and recuperate.

Dairy

For many, dairy is considered a big no-no. Whether it be milk, chocolate or cheese, dairy is often said to thicken the vocal folds and create more mucus which can obstruct healthy and efficient singing.

Mythbust: Dairy cannot thicken vocal folds as it has no contact with vocal folds. In addition, dairy does not increase the body’s mucus production, however, there is a reaction between the enzymes in dairy and the body’s saliva which can create a somewhat thick liquid that then coats the mouth. There are a number of ways to combat this affect such as steaming, gargling salt water and drinking warm liquids. Similar to alcohol, your diet is about knowing your body. If you struggle to sing after eating chocolate or drinking milk, perhaps avoid it before a rehearsal or performance.

Acid

Acid reflux is considered a major vocal fold irritant. Unlike caffeine, alcohol and dairy, acid reflux can directly affect the vocal folds. Stomach acid created by acid reflux can rise into the oesophagus and when the throat sphincters are not functioning well this acid can then flow into the throat and touch the larynx.

Acid reflux does not affect everyone but for those it does, it’s important to consider your diet. Foods such as bell peppers, tomatoes and onions can be major irritants alongside orange juice, citrus fruits and even chocolate. For acid reflux we would recommend using a food diary, writing down what you eat and making a brief note of how it affects you in the following 12 hours. You can then see which food groups and which recipes work well for you, and which ones you might need to avoid.

Our diet is something that can considerably affect the way we sing and so it’s worth taking it into account. Athletes know exactly what they put in their body before they train and compete, and singers should not be so different.

Episode edited and produced by Daisy Grant Productions.

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