# Orange Juice for a Sore Throat: Yes or No? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 8, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215 "2010-01-08T22:46:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/1 "2010-01-08T22:46:40Z")
Title says it all – you have a raging sore throat, and you want something to drink. Do you regard orange juice as soothing or painful? ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/2 "2010-01-08T22:53:45Z")
Yikes! When I was a kid, I had strep throat a lot, the arrival of which was always heralded by my morning OJ turning from a yummy and refreshing beverage into an instrument of torture. I rarely have sore throats any more, but I when I do, avoid OJ like the plague. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/3 "2010-01-09T04:44:09Z")
Even when I’m feeling fine orange juice makes my throat feel itchy. Oranges don’t do this so I don’t know what the heck’s going on there but no way do I drink it when I’m already hurting. Lukewarm sweet tea with honey for me. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/4 "2010-01-09T04:50:29Z")
Um…yes and no. Yes it hurts, but in a good way…if that makes sense… \>.\< If my throat is itchy, it scratches it. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/5 "2010-01-09T04:54:53Z")
I take as much vitamin C as I can when I’m sick, so lots and lots of orange juice. And vitamin C pills. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/6 "2010-01-09T06:15:11Z")
The burn kills the bugs. It also generally loosens up the stuck phlegm that is making my throat itch. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/7 "2010-01-09T06:17:03Z")
Painful. For a sore throat, I gargle with warm salt water. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/8 "2010-01-09T07:13:10Z")
I drink hot lemon drinks (hot water, lemon juice and honey). ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/9 "2010-01-09T07:17:41Z")
Yes, nothing soothes my sore throat better than an acidic beverage :rolleyes: Seriously, people. You want the vitamin C, just eat a damn tablet. They sell for cheap in like every drugstore. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/10 "2010-01-09T07:41:51Z")
I used to get tonsillitis every year, then nothing from 1988 onwards, until all of a sudden it turned up in ought five - in May, even - and then, believe me, OJ was right out of the question. ---
**Author:** ![NoiseBomb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/49beb7/32.png) [@NoiseBomb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoiseBomb)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/11 "2010-01-09T08:04:34Z")
Ow. No thank you. Milk with some strawberry syrup in it goes down much better. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/12 "2010-01-09T08:41:21Z")
The only thing that soothes my sore throats better than orange juice is NyQuil. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/13 "2010-01-09T10:17:48Z")
I’d prefer some apple juice, please. Orange juice doesn’t really hurt, most of the time, but I don’t want anything that intensely flavored. Actually, I’m far more likely to drink hot tea. Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea is very soothing to throat and to digestive system. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/14 "2010-01-09T12:20:44Z")
I gargle with vodka, which usually helps. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/15 "2010-01-09T13:50:24Z")
hot black tea, very tiny touch of lemon [a couple of drops to a big mug], no sweetener. Never any dairy products, nothing real acidic like orange juice or lemonaide. When the sore is about gone, then maybe hot lemonaide. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/16 "2010-01-09T16:14:09Z")
I started to say; isn’t a hot toddy better? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/17 "2010-01-10T22:13:22Z")
I’ve been dealing with a bad cold the last couple weeks. One thing I read on WebMD is that you should drink a lot of liquids. You shouldn’t be drinking stuff like alcohol, tea or coffee because it’ll dehydrate you. I don’t drink orange juice, I just drink lots of water. ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/18 "2010-01-10T22:50:11Z")
My standard sore throat remedy is a mug of hot lemonade (made with actual lemons), with a shot or two of rum. Works wonders, even without the rum. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/19 "2010-01-11T10:31:36Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I’d prefer some apple juice, please. Orange juice doesn’t really hurt, most of the time, but I don’t want anything that intensely flavored. > > Actually, I’m far more likely to drink hot tea. Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea is very soothing to throat and to digestive system. To me, orange juice isn’t intensely flavored, it’s just sour. Apple juice isn’t very intense, but grape juice is, and I’d still rather have that than orange juice. It’s not so much that it “burns”; it hurts. It feels like it goes up my nose a bit. BTW, I’ve never understood the idea that the burn means its working: when you irritate something that is inflamed, it gets more inflamed. Does inflamation actually help the healing process or something? I always thought it was a stopgap measure to avoid pain. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215/20 "2010-01-11T15:41:23Z")
I don’t drink orange juice to start with, I hate the stuff. I used to force myself to drink it when I have a cold, but instead, I just started drinking lots and lots and lots of water. Now I am pretty much off OJ, though occasionally I will take a sip of his Oranjina. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/orange-juice-for-a-sore-throat-yes-or-no/524215.md?page=2)