Soft Foods to Eat After Tonsillectomy: a Detailed List of What Everybody Needs to Know

Tonsillectomy Overview

Some people suffer from frequent bouts of acute tonsillitis, obstructive sleep apnea, and peritonsillar abscess. When they don’t respond well to medications, a tonsillectomy may be recommended.

A tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove the tonsils to give relief to patients from various symptoms. It is a delicate procedure that needs the proper post-surgery care regimen in order to avoid any complications. Three of the most important complications to prevent are bleeding, dehydration, and inadequate nutrition. These are addressed by following a diet consisting of easy to chew and easy to swallow foods for about one to two weeks after the surgery. Here is a list of the recommended drinks and soft foods to eat after a tonsillectomy.

Clear Liquid Soft Foods

One can start drinking clear liquids to ensure adequate hydration, and to ease throat pain, right after surgery, or as advised by the physician. Clear liquid foods include water, sports drinks, apple juice, broths, and popsicles.

Water is always the best option to prevent dehydration, while sports drinks are excellent because they furnish added electrolytes. Apple juice is recommended because it is rich in vitamin C. There’s a choice between broths and popsicles, depending on one’s preferred temperature. Slightly cold or lukewarm drinks are typically easier to swallow after surgery. Hot or iced drinks are not recommended, as the extreme temperatures can easily irritate the newly operated area.

Full Liquid Soft Foods

Patients are advised to proceed to full liquids once they can tolerate them. These vary from milk to cream soups, ice cream, and sherbet. Dairy-based soft foods, such as fresh milk, cream soups, and ice creams are suggested, but only in small amounts. This is because dairy products tend to increase mucus production in the area, often resulting in discomfort, and painful swallowing. Sherbet is a preferred alternative to dairy-based soft foods because it eases the pain without the possibility of mucus build-up.

Solid Soft Foods

Solid soft foods are the next option once swallowing has improved, and it is no longer painful to do so. Solid soft foods to eat include gelatins, puddings, scrambled eggs, macaroni, and mashed potatoes. Most of these recommended soft foods are bland in taste. However, gelatins and puddings offer a refreshing change, because they are available in many different flavours to enjoy. Furthermore, it is recommended to avoid citrus and acidic flavours, as they tend to irritate the area which was operated on. Scrambled eggs provide the body with necessary protein, while macaroni and mashed potatoes offer carbohydrate nutrition, as well as a change in texture.

Foods to Avoid

There are a number of foods to avoid after a tonsillectomy to prevent bleeding and irritation of the surgical site. There should be no crispy food options with pointed edges, which may accidentally poke the site of operation and cause bleeding. As previously mentioned, citrus or sour flavors must be avoided, as they can sting the area and worsen the pain. Spicy tasting foods should never be eaten after surgery, as they irritate and inflame the area, thus slowing down the healing process.

By following doctor’s instructions in taking medications and following this list of the right kinds of soft foods to eat after a tonsillectomy, patients usually recover quickly, and without undue complications.

References

UW Health: Adult Tonsillectomy

Texas Pediatric Surgical Associates: Postoperative Instructions - Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy