Can you treat a sore throat with ice cream? A doctor tells us

clinical geneticist, nutritionist, expert of UniProf Academy of Physicians

Can I eat ice cream when I have a sore throat?

Sore throats are common at any age and can be one of the first signs of illnesses such as colds, flu or mononucleosis. They can be caused by a strep infection (usually in children over the age of two and adults).

They say dairy products are usually on the list of things to avoid during a cold. Many people believe that you should not consume ice cream, cheese and even more so milk when you have a sore throat. Allegedly dairy products increase the production of mucus.

Mucous membranes protect tissues from irritation or damage in many parts of the body, including the trachea, lungs, esophagus and stomach.

And ice cream?

Based on the above, the milk in ice cream should not increase mucus production. What about the cold?

Does cold really cause colds

A cold is a contagious disease caused by a virus. When it’s cold, we spend more time indoors, with poor ventilation and usually in cramped quarters, making us more vulnerable to the virus. It is because of this, and not because of the temperature difference, that diseases such as colds or flu are contracted.

Pain is not caused by the direct action of viruses, but by substances – bradykinin and prostaglandin E2 – secreted by the immune system cells – macrophages – that fight them. These substances stimulate nerve endings and cause pain.

Cold can be a good remedy because it lowers the temperature of inflamed tissues and has an inhibitory effect on pain transmission. This analgesic effect is due to the activation of one of the receptors. So applying a cold, such as eating ice cream, when your throat hurts is just as logical as applying an ice pack when we’ve just been hit.

So if you have a cold, you can eat ice cream and drink milk. It won’t cure the illness, but it won’t make the condition worse.