While it is logical that proper nutrition and adequate rest are required for good singing, a vocalist can either help or hinder their performance by what they eat and when they eat it.
A general rule says performers should eat at least an hour before a performance to avoid problems with digestion and to avoid irritating the throat and vocal chords.
Milk and dairy products are often singled out as being responsible for increasing mucous production in the body, something that could clog the throat and cause people to clear their throat needlessly.
This is obviously not good for proper singing.
Dairy is high in fat, but this notion needs a little clarification.
If you have a cold, respiratory condition, lactose intolerance or allergy to dairy, consuming dairy products at any time will tend to thicken the mucous already in your body, but it will not increase the amount of mucous.
Being sensible to how dairy products affect your stomach, if at all, should determine whether to include it in your diet.
Logic dictates that a singer would not want to drink carbonated beverages, spicy foods, coffee, or fruit juices directly before singing.
Let's discuss these individually.
Carbonated drinks increase the amount of air in the esophagus and the stomach, which could audibly escape at the most inopportune times.
Spicy foods may irritate the throat and your airway, causing you to swallow excessively or cough.
Coffee and strong teas tend to dry out the mouth, making it more difficult to keep the voice box moist.
Fruit juices are very acidic, and they also tend to irritate or dry out the throat.
So what can you safely eat or drink before singing? As an alternative, a cup of hot herbal or mint tea or a moderate amount of water is the best choice for hydration before a performance.
Drinking ice cold liquids will constrict the tissues around the throat.
A small meal that satisfies your hunger but does not fill you up too much, within an hour or two before singing is a wise choice.
Straining to draw a full breath from your diaphragm will be more difficult if you overindulge before singing.
However, skipping meals or starving yourself before singing will not help much either, if a headache or hunger pangs hamper your performance.
Lean proteins like fish, eggs, tofu, and chicken, along with rice and vegetables, is a sensible meal that will be easier to digest and less likely to cause indigestion, heartburn, or stomach cramps.
In addition, we should take a moment to consider the amount of water we drink.
Chronic dehydration is a problem for many people, simply because they do not consume enough water to equal the amount they lose through sweating, breathing, and eliminating waste.
If you exercise or suffer illness, you lose even more than normal.
We make things worse when we drink sodas, coffee, or alcohol, all of which are natural diuretics, encouraging urine production.
Whatever the source, dehydration causes, at the very least, fatigue, headaches, muscle weakness, and dizziness.
These conditions can hamper vocal ability considerably.
This is why drinking an adequate amount of water during the twenty four hours before you sing is so important.
Water refreshes the bodys vital organs and systems, and a healthy body contributes to a healthy voice.