A take on this common vocal health care myth
“Singers must avoid, or limit, their dairy intake as it creates mucus on the vocal folds. “
Nope. Dairy has no direct effect on the vocal folds. Some people report that when they consume dairy, such as a glass of milk, it feels like it leaves a residue in their throat. This is most likely to be caused by the emulsifiers found in the liquid. The same emulsifiers are found in non-animal milks too, such as soy, almond and oat. Does this mean you need to give those a miss too? No. When we swallow, liquids DO NOT come into contact with the vocal folds, so they are unaffected by the emulsifiers.
The only way dairy may have an indirect affect on the voice is if you suffer from a lactose intolerance. Typically, if someone who is allergic/ intolerant to lactose, they need to avoid dairy. If they consume diary then they may experience gastrointestinal discomfort such as an upset stomach. Whilst this doesn’t directly affect the voice, the emotional stress caused by the experience may have an impact on the voice - when we’re stressed we often find our voice is affected.
So voice users, if dairy is your thing, feel free to enjoy it!
Happy Singing!
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