Is spicy food affecting your voice? – BIGMOUTH Chorus

If you’re anything like me, the start of barbecue season also means food with a little kick. Summer just doesn’t seem right without a jalapeño or two, but is spicy food affecting your voice?
I’ve always heard about professional singers avoiding spice but it seems the issue is a little deeper than it might first appear.

It turns out there are pros and cons to spicy food, but hopefully we can break down the complexities for you.

1. Most spicy food contains oil At some point, many spicy dishes have been mixed with oil. One way cheaper hot sauce stretches itself out is through the addition of so-called carrier oils, which dilute the flavour but bulk out the volume. This extra grease can irritate your throat and cause excess phlegm which we know definitely affects your singing. Phlegm can cut your tone and responsiveness, interfere with your breath support and causes you to clear your throat more.

But fear not, if you’ve indulged a little, warm tea with lemon can help break that down and keep your pipes squeaky clean (or a tone more harmonically pleasing)