October 17th, 2007 | Category: General
ICE CREAM AFTER TONSIL REMOVAL – FACT OR FICTION?
Posted by: Turkey Hill Team
Quick, you’ve just had your tonsils removed, what’s the best food to eat to sooth that sore throat?
Most people would say ice cream. After all, soft foods are the prescription during the tonsillectomy recovery process and what better soft food is there than ice cream? Ice cream is also a “comfort food” and when you’re in the hospital (or recovering at home), comfort is of the utmost importance. It’s the perfect plan, right?
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!
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If you’ve got a technical question about the ice cream making process or some other inquiry about the nuances of America’s favorite treat, chances are Ernie has the answer. He might not be able to answer all questions, but he’ll try his best and some may be featured on the Ice Cream Journal.
20 Comments
hey i just got my tonsils removed and omg iam in so much pain i can hardly drink water evern i tried ice cream and popsickels and that made them even sorer,the only thing that seemed to help were spice foods or a slirpy.really helped:-)
April 21st, 2008 at 2:33 pmI just got my tonsils removed two days ago, and let me tell you worse pain I have ever felt. I tried to eat ice cream and for some reason it just didnt taste good. Now popsicles on the other hand are the winners. Orange cream and fudge pops. I have been drinking tons of water and ice cubes. Unfortunately can’t eat much more than that. Food sounds so good but I attempted mashed potatoes and while they tasted good, it hurt eating them and I bled a but after
January 3rd, 2008 at 1:38 amI also understand that milk/dairy products are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, too. Better safe, than sorry. Besides, patience is a virtue!
November 5th, 2007 at 9:42 pmi disagree with it because my ent requested it
November 4th, 2007 at 12:33 amMy 3 kids just had their tonsils out! I was out of my mind when I scheduled the 3 at the same time.
I am exhausted running from bed to bed. Hopefully this will end soon!!
The only rest that I get is when I bring them thier Duetto!!
They say the the Lemon Duetto is the best thing that they can eat!
I am being very lax with them. I usually give them a single scoop, but they say they need more. I’ve been to my local Shop-Rite and bought the last 4 Lemon Duetto. I may have to race out to Pathmark.
Thanks for the wonderful product!!!
Barbara
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:36 pmouch is having your teeth pulled to get dentures, but the ice cream helps keep the swelling down
October 19th, 2007 at 12:03 amI must dispute your scientific findings.
My father, brother and nephew were all otolaryngologists (Ear, Nose & Throat MDs.) When I was a child, my father performed more than a dozen tonsillectomies daily in his office that was in our house. Now, ice cream ingestion was a necessity to proper healing and rapid pain relief in those days. Why the controversy? Because we didn’t have TURKEY HILL ice cream in those days with it’s thick, creamy, extraordinarily satisfying taste. Instead, ice cream was watery and thin. The chill was what relieved the raw surgical throat and sputum production was not a concern as Turkey Hill was not available.
THIS, actually, is the explanation for my never having had my tonsils removed. No Turkey Hill ice cream??? No surgery!
I hope this clears the air - and the palate.
October 18th, 2007 at 11:29 pmI still have my tonsils~The article was a tad scarry for me since I did at one time have a bleeding vocal cord …I did still eat my ice cream …I remember alot of vanilla !!!!
October 18th, 2007 at 2:23 pmBest remedy for tonsils, if you can eat ice cream,(the pain ouch!) go the Duetto way. This way you get a little bit of ice cream and that delicious ice in all those great flavors. But in reality anyone who can eat anything after that…your good!!
October 18th, 2007 at 11:13 amKATH - Good advice. And remember, crumbling your cookies over ice cream doesn’t count!
JACQUELINE - You had your tonsils taken out twice? Ouch and ouch.
STEFANIE - Almost. It doesn’t work on athlete’s foot, but it sure is fun to sit there with your feet in two tubs of Vanilla Bean.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:14 amI still think Turkey Hill is the cure for everything!
October 18th, 2007 at 2:00 amThis could be trouble. If my husband ever has to have his removed he would expect TH as I and my grown children had. He would feel cheated but hopefully he will never need them removed since he has had them for 67 years. If my grandchildren ever need the operation I think they could handle the sherbet.
October 18th, 2007 at 12:20 amI was told, also, that ice cream is not the treat of choice after having tonsils removed. Ok, so you have to go a week or two with no TH ice cream,,,, just think how much more you’ll appreciate it when you CAN have it again!
October 17th, 2007 at 9:38 pmThank goodness I had my tonsils removed years ago when they recommended ice cream to sooth the throat. What would I do without Turkey Hill for two weeks!
October 17th, 2007 at 8:48 pmThank you for the research on that topic. I will remember that. My daughter had her wisdom teeth removed this summer and they did suggest milkshakes…made with Turkey Hill Ice Cream, of course!
October 17th, 2007 at 8:25 pmNever had my tonsils out. I finally got hold of some Baked Apple Dumpling this weekend-I bought 4 containers of it! I cleaned out the supply of it at the Ukrop’s in Roanoke, VA. It’s awesome.
October 17th, 2007 at 8:22 pmI had my tonsils removed–twice.
I do remember the ice cream, but the pain was too great for me to eat it.
October 17th, 2007 at 8:11 pmIt seemed totally unfair!
I knew ice cream wasn’t the way to go when two of my children had their tonsils removed. As a matter of fact, their otolaryngologist……what a mouthful………..suggested putting crackers, chips or cookies beside their bed because it would help keep the phlegm from the throat area and they would heal faster……..It worked! His reference point was when he and his twin had their tonsils out…He ate chips and crackers and his brother ate ice cream. He was up and about much sooner than his brother was!
October 17th, 2007 at 7:58 pmWow, I’m glad I never had to get my tonsils out either, I use any excuse for some TH indulgence!!! It makes you happy which in turn makes you feel better!! And you can quote me! There’s never been a time that I ate TH that I didn’t feel happier afterward, I swear it’s number 1 under the ingredients listing!
October 17th, 2007 at 4:36 pmYou know… doctors can be wrong…
I’m just glad I have not had my tonsils removed. I’d have to get my ice cream intravenously or something…
(Or that sherbet idea sounds like a good option too…)
October 17th, 2007 at 11:00 amThese comments are intended to be a discussion of the information presented in the blog postings. Any product-related questions or other issues not related to the post should be referred to our consumer response team through the link on our Contact Us page, as they are the true experts in answering any questions or concerns you may have about Turkey Hill and its products.
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