What’s the best food to eat before singing or speaking?
What’s the Best Food To Eat Before Singing or Speaking?
I get asked this question a lot by my students and clients. We are what we eat and if we want to perform at our best, we need to eat well.
Many foods cause our bodies to produce excess mucus, leading to throat clearing and difficulty singing and speaking. If we’re focused on our tummy rumbling from not eating enough or feeling sluggish and bloated from eating too much or - even worse - feeling off our game from eating the wrong kind of food, then we’re not able to give our best performance.
So from all the many tempting, convenient food choices out there, what’s the best food a singer or speaker should eat before performing to make us focused and performing at our very best?
My answer, after years of experimental eating all kinds of foods, is watermelon.
What’s So Special About Watermelon?
Nutrition
Watermelon is loaded with beneficial nutrients, including significant levels of vitamins A, B6 and C, amino acids and lots of lycopene. Lycopene has been linked to heart and bone health, anti-inflammatory properties, and prostate cancer prevention according to the National Cancer Institute. Better still, it contains a small amount of protein like all fruits and vegetables!
Low calorie superfood
Along with its high nutritional value, watermelon is filling, satisfying, and low in calories (around 46 calories a cup), making it a superstar superfood. It’s one of the fastest foods to digest - taking only 15-20 minutes - so you can avoid that heavy, sluggish feeling after eating. Satisfying your sweet tooth with a cup of refreshing watermelon can help you feel satisfied throughout your performance, unlike tempting processed sugars and carbs such as cookies, chips, or candy that cause spikes and crashes in blood sugar and energy levels.
Water - it’s in the name!
Our tiny, hard-working vocal folds - also known as vocal cords - need a lot of water to function at their optimal level. The vocal cords are two tiny bands of elastic muscle tissue that open and close when breathing and eating, and vibrate incredibly fast to generate sound when singing and speaking. In just one hour of vocal production, your vocal folds vibrate an average of 792,000 times.
Like other tissues in the body, vocal cords can be strained and damaged. When the body is well-hydrated, your vocal folds are able to move against each other easily and vibrate smoothly. Well-hydrated vocal folds have a lower risk of injury from use. In contrast, researchers warn that if our bodies are dehydrated, our vocal folds don’t work as well and are more prone to damage.
The best type of hydration is systemic hydration, which occurs when the body is in a well-hydrated state from getting enough water from food and drink throughout the day. Not only is watermelon packed with nutritional goodness, watermelons are 92% water. Eating foods with a high water content can help with the all important systemic hydration your body needs to function at its best.
We are what we eat and if we want to perform at our best, we need to eat well.
Easy to keep on hand
Watermelon is available year round from just about any supermarket. You can even buy it pre-sliced or diced at most grocers if you want extra convenience. While nothing beats the taste of a big, luscious, local watermelon in summer, the miniature seedless watermelons are a great off-season alternative. I love to buy those in the winter so I can always have watermelon in my kitchen.
Most mornings, I eat a cup of watermelon as a light, refreshing breakfast. I start my day knowing that I’m contributing to my systemic hydration as well as getting a serving of healthy fruits and veggies.
Easy to take on the go
Watermelon is easy to prepare - no cooking involved unless you’re feeling fancy. You can slice it, dice it, or use a melon baller to make perfect bite-size spheres.
I chop my watermelon into bite size pieces then put it into a bowl, lidded container, or jar to then eat it with a fork. Whenever I need to rush out the door to perform, I take my container of watermelon bites so that I have a light, sweet snack to enjoy on the go and help my voice and body perform at their best.
3-Minute Voice Rejuvenator
If you’re looking for ways to refresh your voice beyond just snacking on watermelon, try the 3-Minute Voice Rejuvenator I’ve created for singers and speakers. This quick and easy voice health technique refreshes sore, tired voices. If you need some help getting your voice to feel and sound sparkling new, download it here.
COnclusion
Watermelon is a great food to eat before singing or speaking. It’s low calorie, has fiber to make it satisfying and filling, and is rich in beneficial nutrients that make it a superfood treat. Its 92% water content helps maintain the systemic hydration that’s vital for your voice and body to function their best. It’s also easy to prepare and take with you anywhere, so you don’t need to rely on inferior convenience food. All around, it’s a great way to love your voice!
Schedule a Lesson Today
Of course, there’s more to taking care of your voice than eating watermelon. Working with a voice teacher, you'll learn essential singing techniques and learn how to care for your unique vocal instrument.
Reach out to set up a lesson with Zelda to take your voice care to the next level!
Mention this article for a 20% discount on your first lesson.
Sources and Recommended Reading:
Vocal Warmups:
Zelda Sheldon’s Voice Warm Up is available through Apple Music and iTunes
Vocal Physiology:
Vocal Health Information - Duke Medical
The Role of Water in Vocal Fold Physiology
About The Voice - Lions Voice Clinic - University of Minnesota
Video: Larynx Anatomy by Sam Webster, Human Anatomy Teacher
Video: Larynx - Ligaments, Membranes, Vocal Cords - 3D Anatomy Tutorial
Professional Voice Users - You and Your Voice - Lions Voice Clinic - University of Minnesota
Was this helpful?
Do you have any questions about singing, speakingm and vocal health? Reach out with any questions via email.