The Surprising Food That Can Help Your Sore Throat

You may have heard that gargling with salt water or eating a little honey will help soothe your sore throat, but did you know about marshmallows? According to Bustle, marshmallows were once made with the marshmallow herb Althaea officinalis. The leaves and roots are a good treatment for respiratory problems and coughing. However, modern-day marshmallows are made primarily out of gelatin and sugar, and won't do much for a sore throat.

A 2019 study published in the American Journal of Otolaryngology examined BNO 1030 extract's effects on 238 cases of viral tonsillitis in kids ages six to 18 years old. BNO 1030 extract contains marshmallow root, dandelion herb, chamomile flowers, oak bark, horsetail herb, yarrow herb, and walnut leaves. Since 70 to 95 percent of tonsillitis cases are viral, most patients are not treated with antibiotics since that is reserved for bacterial infections, which makes up the remainder of tonsillitis cases. Researchers found that BNO 1030 extract was a safe and effective treatment, along with ibuprofen or acetaminophen, for the pain associated with tonsillitis. According to a 2019 study, marshmallow root helps with respiratory symptoms because it coats the mouth and throat and alleviates swelling and irritation.

You can find marshmallow root in tea, lozenges, tincture, or syrup. Use one of these when you have a sore throat or cough to help relieve pain and swelling. If you have a cold, flu, or tonsillitis, make sure you also take ibuprofen or acetaminophen for fever and to help with pain and swelling. The studies showed that taking both over-the-counter pain medications and marshmallow root helped.

Since a sore throat could be a sign of something more serious, you need to see your doctor to get treatment, especially if your symptoms have lasted more than a few days or are getting worse. You also need to contact your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms: swollen neck or face, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, ear pain, joint pain, coughing up blood, blood in your saliva or mucus, loss of voice for a week or longer, a high fever that won't go away, or if you can see white patches in the back of your throat (via Healthline).

If you have tonsillitis, there is a chance that it could be a bacterial infection. Strep throat also causes soreness but is different from tonsillitis because it's caused by a bacterial infection and will worsen without antibiotic treatment. Grab that marshmallow root and over-the-counter pain medication while you're waiting for the antibiotics to do their work.