What food should singers eat and what food to avoid eating?

Question

Food
Your body needs energy so that it can perform for you. Help it to digest and metabolize well by keeping your food intake simple. I personally find juicy fruit and raw salads with a little light dressing to be easily digested by most people. Add to that a small serving of pasta with tomato or garlic sauce (no cheese or cream sauces). If your body's blood type does better with protein, then substitute chicken, fish or tofu for the pasta. I strongly advise against going hungry the day of a recording or performance. Hunger will stress-out your body which needs nutritional energy and hydration to deliver good vocal performance.
Water
The sound of your voice is created by small internal muscle movements. Muscles need the energy furnished by well metabolized food in order to function well. They also need to be hydrated to achieve peak energy, flexibility and elasticity. Drinking room temperature water as your principal beverage is best for hydration. Room temperature is better than iced because when you swallow, the water flows down the esophagus behind but adjacent to your larynx (voice box).
If the temperature of what you've swallowed is either cold or hot, it will affect the muscles of your larynx and vocal folds. This would be like putting a hot or cold compress on your leg muscles right before running a race. So drink your hot or cold drinks after the rehearsal, show or recording session. Before or during performing, just drink room temperature water.
Caffeine
What about caffeine? Caffeine is a diuretic which induces urination and tends to dehydrate the body. Coffee which contains caffeine, acid and oils, can irritate the vocal folds, stimulating mucous production and stiffness. You may experience a slight burning or irritation of your vocal folds or need to clear your throat after drinking coffee. For some, the adverse effects disappear after a while. If you decide to continue as a coffee drinker, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day (as much as 8-8 oz. Glasses daily). This will help to flush out your system and restore the bodily fluids that have been lost due to the diuretic effect of caffeine.
Cola and many other carbonated drinks contain added caffeine and will have a similar effect. As well, the carbonation may cause burping at inopportune times while singing. Black teas contain less caffeine than coffee and may work as a substitute beverage as would herbal teas.
Rules to follow:
Do not drink coffee or caffeinated beverages within two to three hours prior to singing.
Do drink lots of room temperature water.
Do not drink iced beverages within two to three hours prior to singing.
Do not drink hot beverages prior to or during singing.
Do eat high water content fruit for hydration and energy.
Do eat high water content vegetables for hydration and minerals.
Do stay fed, but don't overeat or stuff yourself.
The Four Watchwords
The sounds of your voice are made by internal muscles some of which are coated with mucous membranes. Muscles and mucous membranes have certain nutritional needs and are hampered by certain foods. You can assess the benefits or adverse effects of any food by evaluating it against the four singer dietary maxims: dehydration, mucous forming, muscle constriction and energy loss.
1. Dehydration ? To work well, the voice needs adequate hydration. This is achieved from eating and drinking things like water, juicy fruit and lots of vegetables which also supply the body with important minerals and other nutrition which promotes health. Caffeine, (coffee, black tea, chocolate, cola soft drinks), alcohol, smoking and certain medications dehydrate the body and thus your voice. If you like coffee, keep it to a cup a day and don?t drink it closer than several hours prior to singing. You can have an occasional celebratory alcoholic beverage but wait until after your performance or recording session.
2. Phlegm Production ? Ever have to stop singing to clear your throat? Excessive phlegm caused by irritation of the mucous membrane can make even the easiest note difficult or impossible to sing. Foods known to induce phlegm include: dairy (cheese, milk, ice cream?) spicy foods, citrus and bananas.
3. Muscle Constriction ? Stimulants such as caffeine can cause muscles to tighten as well as lose hydration. Iced drinks also have a similar constricting effect. Think about it: would an athlete put ice packs on his muscles just before a routine or competition? Heat causes muscles to relax and swell. Neither extreme is desirable. Your vocal muscles need to be limber, not tense or swollen. Room temperature or cool (not iced) water remains our best beverage.
4. Energy Loss ? Eating sweets gives an energy surge followed by a slump. Trying to boost your physical energy with sugar laden foods may lead to chronic fatigue. Instead, eat unprocessed fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins; you?ll build an energy reserve and stay well hydrated at the same time. Add in some exercise and you?ll have the stamina you?ll need for demanding singing engagements.

Shabnam Yeasmin · Accepted Answer

Food
Your body needs energy so that it can perform for you. Help it to digest and metabolize well by keeping your food intake simple. I personally find juicy fruit and raw salads with a little light dressing to be easily digested by most people. Add to that a small serving of pasta with tomato or garlic sauce (no cheese or cream sauces). If your body's blood type does better with protein, then substitute chicken, fish or tofu for the pasta. I strongly advise against going hungry the day of a recording or performance. Hunger will stress-out your body which needs nutritional energy and hydration to deliver good vocal performance.
Water
The sound of your voice is created by small internal muscle movements. Muscles need the energy furnished by well metabolized food in order to function well. They also need to be hydrated to achieve peak energy, flexibility and elasticity. Drinking room temperature water as your principal beverage is best for hydration. Room temperature is better than iced because when you swallow, the water flows down the esophagus behind but adjacent to your larynx (voice box).
If the temperature of what you've swallowed is either cold or hot, it will affect the muscles of your larynx and vocal folds. This would be like putting a hot or cold compress on your leg muscles right before running a race. So drink your hot or cold drinks after the rehearsal, show or recording session. Before or during performing, just drink room temperature water.
Caffeine
What about caffeine? Caffeine is a diuretic which induces urination and tends to dehydrate the body. Coffee which contains caffeine, acid and oils, can irritate the vocal folds, stimulating mucous production and stiffness. You may experience a slight burning or irritation of your vocal folds or need to clear your throat after drinking coffee. For some, the adverse effects disappear after a while. If you decide to continue as a coffee drinker, be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day (as much as 8-8 oz. Glasses daily). This will help to flush out your system and restore the bodily fluids that have been lost due to the diuretic effect of caffeine.
Cola and many other carbonated drinks contain added caffeine and will have a similar effect. As well, the carbonation may cause burping at inopportune times while singing. Black teas contain less caffeine than coffee and may work as a substitute beverage as would herbal teas.
Rules to follow:
Do not drink coffee or caffeinated beverages within two to three hours prior to singing.
Do drink lots of room temperature water.
Do not drink iced beverages within two to three hours prior to singing.
Do not drink hot beverages prior to or during singing.
Do eat high water content fruit for hydration and energy.
Do eat high water content vegetables for hydration and minerals.
Do stay fed, but don't overeat or stuff yourself.
The Four Watchwords
The sounds of your voice are made by internal muscles some of which are coated with mucous membranes. Muscles and mucous membranes have certain nutritional needs and are hampered by certain foods. You can assess the benefits or adverse effects of any food by evaluating it against the four singer dietary maxims: dehydration, mucous forming, muscle constriction and energy loss.
1. Dehydration ? To work well, the voice needs adequate hydration. This is achieved from eating and drinking things like water, juicy fruit and lots of vegetables which also supply the body with important minerals and other nutrition which promotes health. Caffeine, (coffee, black tea, chocolate, cola soft drinks), alcohol, smoking and certain medications dehydrate the body and thus your voice. If you like coffee, keep it to a cup a day and don?t drink it closer than several hours prior to singing. You can have an occasional celebratory alcoholic beverage but wait until after your performance or recording session.
2. Phlegm Production ? Ever have to stop singing to clear your throat? Excessive phlegm caused by irritation of the mucous membrane can make even the easiest note difficult or impossible to sing. Foods known to induce phlegm include: dairy (cheese, milk, ice cream?) spicy foods, citrus and bananas.
3. Muscle Constriction ? Stimulants such as caffeine can cause muscles to tighten as well as lose hydration. Iced drinks also have a similar constricting effect. Think about it: would an athlete put ice packs on his muscles just before a routine or competition? Heat causes muscles to relax and swell. Neither extreme is desirable. Your vocal muscles need to be limber, not tense or swollen. Room temperature or cool (not iced) water remains our best beverage.
4. Energy Loss ? Eating sweets gives an energy surge followed by a slump. Trying to boost your physical energy with sugar laden foods may lead to chronic fatigue. Instead, eat unprocessed fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins; you?ll build an energy reserve and stay well hydrated at the same time. Add in some exercise and you?ll have the stamina you?ll need for demanding singing engagements.

Sucharitra Picasso · Answer

Hi,
Keeping your voice healthy isn?t just about avoiding colds or flus that make it difficult to sing or speak; you also need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet. While certain foods can be harmful for your vocal chords or trigger a mucous-filled throat, others can actually help improve your throat and vocal cord health.
-All caffeinated beverages, including teas, coffee and certain sodas, are harmful for your voice. Because caffeine is a natural diuretic, it can cause your throat muscles to become dehydrated, leading to muscle constriction. -Milk and milk products, including yogurt, cheese, ice cream, milk and butter, increase phlegm production in your throat. -Staying well hydrated is key to a healthy voice.
-Vitamin A can be found naturally in a variety of foods, and this essential vitamin helps keep your soft tissue, skin and mucous membranes healthy. Vitamin A is found in high quantities in eggs and meat, particularly liver. It is also available in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, such as orange sweet peppers, carrots, apricots and can notaloupe, as well as in dark, leafy greens, such as kale and spinach.
-Also, avoid spicy, chilly, fried, oily food with high calories.
-Avoid rough use of your voice or shouting or peaking unnecessarily.
-Rest your voice consistently.
-Don?t smoke. Exercises:
- Practice pulling your breath down into your body. Inhale slowly and deeply, feeling the air move downward through your mouth and throat and into your body. Imagine that the air is very heavy. Visualize pushing it all the way down below your belly button before letting yourself exhale.
As you go through repetitions, inhale more quickly. Continue to imagine the air being heavy and pushing it down into your stomach. Feel how your abdomen and lower back expand.
-Practice holding your breath in your body. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, making sure to draw your breath down into your abdomen like in the previous exercise. Try to hold it for a count of seven, then exhale. Repeat several times. Over time, try to increase the length of time you can hold your breath comfortably.
- Do exhalation exercises. Inhale deeply through your mouth, pushing the air deep into your abdomen.
Instead of letting the air rush out at its own natural rate, keep your diaphragm engaged so you can control the rate of exhalation.
Take eight seconds to expel all the air from your chest. Once you?ve exhaled, contract your abdominal muscles to push any remaining air from your lungs. One of the most important parts of improving our breathing is making sure we exhale completely.
-Do vocal warmups before singing. Humming is a good way to ease into full-throated singing. Before you begin singing, practice some scales in a hum.
Lip trilling warms up the muscles involved with exhalation to prepare them for the controlled breathing required by singing. Keeping your lips pressed together, push air through them to create the sound we associate with being cold: brrrrrrrrr! Move through your scales in this manner.
-Practice your scales. Listen to You tube videos to make sure you?re matching your pitch appropriately to the actual notes you should be hitting.