Dr. Will Cole Explains Why Sugar Might Be Causing Your Sore Throat

When a listener named Aspen calls into The Art of Being Well with a mystery—why she gets a sore throat every time she eats sugar—Dr. Will Cole immediately connects the dots. It turns out her story isn’t as random as it sounds.

Aspen’s symptoms signal something deeper is happening in her body, an imbalance that could be feeding inflammation and bacteria. From diet to daily habits, and even environmental exposure, Dr. Cole breaks down how multiple factors can erode the body’s resilience.

‘The sugar is feeding bacteria’

If your throat starts to ache after dessert, there’s real science behind it. Cole explains that eating more than 50 grams of added sugar a day is “associated with a double, two times increased risk of bacteria that triggers recurrent pharyngitis.”

That’s because processed sugar feeds the “bad guys” in your body—opportunistic bacteria that hang out in the throat and sinuses. “The sugar is feeding bacteria,” he says, adding that these microbes thrive in inflammation. When they overgrow, they can cause soreness, swelling, and that tickly, irritated feeling Aspen describes. Each time we load up on sweets, “it’s like a fertilizer for these weeds that can overgrow in the gut garden,” Cole explains. Over time, that imbalance can make your immune system less resilient, especially if stress or other environmental triggers are already wearing it down.

Why whole foods don’t count

Not all sugar acts the same once it’s in your body. Cole draws a clear line between processed sweets and those that come wrapped in fiber and nutrients. The issue, he said, isn’t fruit. “We’re talking about added processed sugar here, right? We’re not talking about fruits, so let’s just get that out of the way.”

When sugar comes from whole food sources, such as berries or apples, it behaves differently. Cole explains that “in its whole food form and fruits, with fiber and all the sort of matrix of minerals and vitamins, it behaves very differently.” That built-in balance slows the absorption and keeps bacteria from getting the feast they crave.

So, if you’re getting a sore throat after a cookie but not after a banana, that’s no accident. The body knows the difference between something naturally sweet and something processed—and your microbiome reacts accordingly.

When your job might be the trigger

Aspen mentions she’s a baker—something Cole doesn’t overlook. Beyond sugar itself, her daily environment might be adding fuel to the fire. Cole explains that “patients that have baker’s lung, they have more eye irritation, more lung irritation,” and that constant exposure to airborne flour could easily irritate her throat too.

And he’s not pointing fingers at gluten but raising a possibility: “She’s inhaling some of these very inflammatory things like gluten, not for—I don’t want to demonize it…but let’s just say if this woman does have some intestinal permeability or autoimmune pensions…this could be a perpetual thing that’s continuously aggravating her.”

In other words, it’s not always what you eat—it can also be what you breathe. 

Your sore throat is a check-engine light

Aspen’s recurring sore throat was her body’s way of waving a flag. “This is your body telling you something is going on somewhere,” he says. That pattern of irritation after eating sugar can point to an underlying imbalance like dysbiosis, bacterial overgrowth, or even a chronic infection “that’s being fed every time you have this.”

He encourages Aspen to think of it like a check-engine light, not an emergency, but a signal to take a closer look under the hood. “You want to nip this now before it starts to be a bigger issue,” he adds. Testing the gut and oral microbiome could reveal what’s really driving the symptoms—and help restore the body’s resilience before the problem grows.

In the meantime, Cole offers a few gentle supports: “Gargling with salt water…nasal rinsing…and Manuka honey.” He even jokes that honey could be part of the “Poo Bear diet.” It’s small habits like these, paired with awareness, that keep your system running smoothly—and your throat a lot happier after dessert.

And, of course, consult your healthcare professional to have any concerns checked out before implementing any new routine changes.

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