Open Up and Say Ahhh … What to Eat After a Tonsillectomy
Back in the day, having ice cream and lots of it, was one of the greatest perks to having your tonsils out. But is it just a myth that it’s a good thing to have ice cream after the operation? Or fact? The folks at the Turkey Hill Ice Cream Journal sought the truth, and here’s what they found:
Now for the bad news: The whole “ice cream after tonsil removal” thing isn’t exactly the best medicine. In fact, most doctors advice against it. We know, the news was hard for us to hear too.To double check this myth, we talked to Dr. Robert Belser, an otolaryngologist (that’s an ear, nose and throat doctor) from Lancaster Otolaryngology.
Dr. Belser admitted to being a Turkey Hill ice cream fan, but recommended that patients avoid ice cream and other milk products for about two weeks after having their tonsils removed. The reason, according to Dr. Belser, is that milk products generate phlegm, which causes patients to cough or clear their throat and potentially aggravate the healing tissue and increase the chances of bleeding.
Instead of ice cream, the doctor advises patients to eat sherbet or freeze pops. Both options offer the same throat-soothing qualities of ice cream (although our sherbet, like most sherbets, does contain some milk). Thankfully, Turkey Hill makes sherbet. And don’t worry, two weeks without ice cream may seem like an eternity, but you can make up for lost time later!
Photo from Turkey Hill Ice Cream Journal.
Milk products don’t create mucus on their own, it’s an old wives tale. It will thicken mucus if you already have a problem, but there’s no harm in eating ice cream after a tonsillectomy!