Eating spicy food when you have strep throat is generally not recommended, as it can further irritate your already inflamed throat. However, some people may still crave their favorite hot sauces even when sick. Here is a look at the pros and cons of eating hot sauce with strep throat.
What is Strep Throat?
Strep throat is an infection in the throat and tonsils caused by group A streptococcus bacteria. It leads to inflammation and pain in the throat. Common symptoms of strep throat include:
- Fever
- Sore, swollen throat
- Pus pockets on the tonsils
- Pain when swallowing
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Nausea or vomiting (more common in children)
Strep throat is very contagious and spreads through saliva and mucus from coughing or sneezing. It requires treatment with antibiotics, usually a 10-day course of penicillin or amoxicillin. Symptoms typically improve within the first few days of starting antibiotics.
Does Eating Hot Sauce Help or Hurt Strep Throat?
Hot sauce is made from chili peppers that contain capsaicin. This chemical compound stimulates heat receptors in the mouth that register the sensation of spiciness. When you eat hot sauce, capsaicin can cause a burning feeling and irritation in the throat and mouth.
This irritation can further aggravate the already inflamed tissues in the throat that are affected by strep infection. The body reacts by producing more mucus in the throat to try and coat the irritated areas. So consuming hot sauce could actually make pain and discomfort from strep throat temporarily worse right after eating it.
On the other hand, some people report that the heat from hot sauce helps clear up sinus congestion. The irritation causes increased mucus production that can thin out sinus secretions. This may temporarily allow better drainage from the sinuses, relieving pressure. However, this effect is unlikely to help much with strep throat specifically, which is more localized just to the throat area.
Potential Pros
- Could clear up sinus congestion temporarily
- Spicy sensations could distract from throat pain briefly
Potential Cons
- Further irritates the inflamed throat
- Increases throat mucus production
- Can aggravate pain and make swallowing more difficult
Specific Hot Sauces and Strep Throat
All hot sauces contain capsaicin that can irritation the throat. However, certain styles of hot sauce may be worse or better for sore, inflamed throats from strep infection.
Thick Hot Sauces
Thick, paste-like hot sauces such as sriracha contain a high concentration of chili peppers blended into a viscous base. The thickness of the sauce allows it to cling to the throat, prolonging contact between the capsaicin and throat tissues.
Drawbacks: Thick hot sauces tend to cause more irritation and increased mucus production due to their viscous nature.
Vinegar-Based Hot Sauces
Popular hot sauces like Tabasco and Frank’s Red Hot are made by steeping chili peppers in vinegar. The acidic vinegar extracts the capsaicin from the peppers.
Benefits: Vinegar has antimicrobial properties, so a vinegar-based hot sauce could potentially help kill some strep bacteria in the throat. The vinegar also cuts down on the thickness of the sauce.
Drawbacks: Vinegar can be irritating and drying to the throat tissues. This could worsen throat pain.
Mexican Hot Sauces
Mexican hot sauces like Cholula and Tapatio tend to have a thinner consistency and mix of ingredients like garlic, spices, and salt in addition to chili peppers and vinegar.
Benefits: The flavor complexity could make them more palatable if you’re craving hot sauce. The thinner liquid won’t coat the throat as much as a thick sauce.
Drawbacks: Still contains capsaicin that will irritate the throat. Spices and garlic could cause further irritation.
Mustard-Based Hot Sauces
Spicy brown mustards and mustard-based hot sauces like sriracha get their heat from mustard seeds, horseradish, or wasabi in addition to chili peppers.
Benefits: The mustard seeds contain compounds like allyl isothiocyanate that give it a pungent flavor. This may help clear sinuses along with the chili pepper heat.
Drawbacks: Mustard can be quite irritating to the throat, especially combined with chili pepper capsaicin and other spices.
Tips for Consuming Hot Sauce with Strep Throat
If you really crave hot sauce, here are some tips to minimize further irritation and pain:
- Dilute the hot sauce in soup broth or other liquids.
- Choose a thinner, vinegar-based sauce instead of a thick one.
- Mix just a few drops into a full meal, rather than eating it straight.
- Avoid extremely hot sauces over 100,000 Scoville units.
- Drink plenty of cool liquids like ice water to soothe your throat.
- Take acetaminophen or other pain relievers to reduce throat discomfort.
- Avoid hot sauce within a few hours of taking antibiotic medication.
The Bottom Line
Here is a summary of the key points on whether you should consume hot sauce when you have strep throat:
- Hot sauce can further irritate an already inflamed, painful throat from strep infection.
- Capsaicin causes temporary burning sensations, mucus production, and discomfort.
- Thinner, vinegar-based sauces are less likely to coat and stick to the throat.
- If you really crave spice, dilute small amounts of hot sauce in broth or food.
- Avoid thick, intensely hot sauces, especially on an empty stomach.
- Drink cold liquids and take pain medication to offset the irritation.
- Wait until any antibiotics have time to work before adding irritation of hot sauce.
In most cases, it’s recommended to avoid hot sauces and spicy foods when dealing with strep throat. But if you really crave that spicy kick, use minimal amounts diluted in other foods and liquids to reduce throat irritation as much as possible while you recover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can hot sauce actually help or cure strep throat?
There is no scientific evidence that hot sauce can cure or resolve strep throat infection. Strep throat is caused by bacterial infection that requires prescription antibiotic treatment. However, some people do anecdotally report temporary symptom relief from sinus drainage after eating spicy food.
Are certain ingredients in hot sauces better or worse for strep throat?
In general, thicker and creamier hot sauces tend to coat the throat more, which can worsen pain. Hot sauces high in vinegar and spices also tend to be more irritating. Simple chili pepper-based sauces may cause less throat discomfort.
Can hot sauce interact with antibiotics used for strep throat?
There are no known direct interactions between hot sauces and common antibiotics like penicillin. However, it’s best to avoid consuming hot sauce close to taking antibiotic doses. Allow several hours before or after for the medicine to work without competing irritation.
When can you start eating spicy food again after strep throat?
It’s best to avoid spicy foods until strep throat symptoms have significantly improved, usually after at least 3-5 days on antibiotics. Once your throat pain becomes mild and swallowing is comfortable, you may try small amounts of diluted hot sauce to see if it causes irritation.
Are natural home remedies safer alternatives for spicy cravings with strep throat?
Things like fresh ginger, lemon, honey, and garlic could add some flavor without the same level of irritation as hot sauce. But they can still moderately aggravate throat discomfort, so use in moderation. Capsaicin is uniquely irritating and inflaming to mucous membranes.
Conclusion
Strep throat and hot sauce make for an uncomfortable pairing. The capsaicin in hot peppers will likely worsen pain and inflammation when the throat already has a bacterial infection. Your best bet is to avoid hot sauce and other spicy foods until antibiotics have had time to improve your strep throat symptoms. If you absolutely need to satisfy a spicy craving, use minimal diluted amounts and combine with other liquids or cold foods to limit throat irritation. With the proper precautions, you may be able to enjoy a little hot sauce without amplifying strep throat misery.