Why Do You Have Phlegm After Every Meal? Causes & What to Do

Key takeaways:

• Coughing up phlegm after every meal can be caused by diet or underlying health conditions.
• Coughing up phlegm after every meal is rarely serious, but it isn’t a normal symptom.
• If coughing after eating occurs with chest tightening or throat swelling, you should seek urgent medical attention.

Coughing up phlegm after the occasional meal is common, but when it happens after every meal, you might start to question if something abnormal is going on. Potential causes range from food allergies and sensitivities to acid reflux and, rarely, pulmonary edema. Phlegm after every meal isn’t usually a sign of a serious or life-threatening condition.

In this article, we will explore the reasons behind coughing up phlegm after meals and provide guidance on what you can try at home to manage the symptoms. You’ll also learn about symptoms and other conditions that may mean you should make an appointment with your doctor.

Is it normal to cough up phlegm after every meal?

Occasional coughing up phlegm after eating, particularly if you eat something that might irritate the throat (like spicy food), is normal. Coughing up phlegm after every meal you eat should be evaluated by a healthcare provider for a possible underlying cause.

Causes of coughing up phlegm after eating a meal

If you cough up phlegm after every meal, it may be due to your food choices or the result of an underlying condition.

GERD

One of the most common causes of coughing and phlegm production after meals is gastroesophageal reflux disease, also called GERD or acid reflux. This occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus and causes irritation. The acid can trigger the body to produce excess mucus as a protective mechanism.

People with GERD may experience heartburn, chest discomfort, difficulty swallowing, and a cough reflex that often produces phlegm. Although some people experience GERD for reasons unrelated to food, dietary choices are common triggers. If you eat foods that trigger GERD symptoms and do not treat the underlying condition, you may experience coughing up phlegm after every meal.

Food allergies

Certain food sensitivities or allergies can trigger an inflammatory response in the body, leading to excessive mucus production. Foods such as nuts, eggs, or shellfish can provoke allergic reactions that lead to coughing and phlegm production. If you cough up phlegm after every meal but do not have any known food allergies, you should consider seeing a healthcare provider for allergy testing.

Dietary choices

You may not be allergic to anything, and you may not have GERD, but your diet can still be the problem. Some individuals are more sensitive than others to certain food choices. Spicy foods, acidic foods, and carbonated drinks are a few examples of dietary choices that may cause irritation and a phlegmatic cough.

Causes of coughing up phlegm after eating a meal based on the phlegm’s color

The color of the phlegm you cough up can provide clues about what might be causing the issue. Sometimes, though, the color of the phlegm has nothing to do with what you are eating and is instead caused by an unrelated underlying condition.

White phlegm

White phlegm is usually categorized as a normal phlegm color and rarely indicates an underlying condition. If you are coughing up white phlegm after eating, food irritants and allergies are likely culprits. Lung disease sometimes causes white phlegm.

Clear phlegm

Generally speaking, clear phlegm is considered normal and does not need evaluation or intervention from a healthcare provider. Just as with white phlegm, food irritants and food allergies that cause acute swelling in the throat may cause you to cough up clear phlegm.

Yellow phlegm

Yellow phlegm can be a sign that your body is fighting a bacterial or viral infection. GERD is the most likely cause of yellow phlegm after every meal. Stomach acid and bile can cause a yellow-green discoloration of the phlegm.

Green phlegm

Green phlegm is similar to yellow phlegm. In some cases, it is due to a bacterial or viral infection. However, with no other signs or symptoms, GERD is the likely cause of green phlegm after meals.

Red or pink phlegm

Pink phlegm can be a sign of pulmonary edema, or fluid in the lungs. This condition is unlikely to be related directly to meals. Pulmonary edema is common in individuals with congestive heart failure and should be treated as a medical emergency. Blood is the most common cause of red phlegm, which may occur with chronic GERD and esophagus erosion.

Brown phlegm

Brown phlegm typically indicates old or dried blood from somewhere within the respiratory tract. This may be an incidental finding after meals that leads to a diagnosis of an underlying lung condition. However, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract from GERD or peptic ulcer disease that refluxes back into the esophagus may also cause you to cough up mucus with dried blood.

Black phlegm

It is rare for black phlegm to be directly related to eating. If you are coughing up black phlegm after every meal, you likely have an unrelated lung condition. Dried blood, as well as long-term inhalation of chemicals and pollution, are known to cause black phlegm. This symptom should prompt a visit to your doctor.

How to prevent, get relief from, or reduce coughing up phlegm after a meal

If you are coughing up phlegm after every meal, there are several actions you can take to possibly improve, reduce, and prevent this symptom.

At-home remedies

Changes in eating habits can help reduce symptoms of GERD, such as coughing after eating. Eating smaller meals and extending the amount of time between eating and lying down can help reduce symptoms of reflux. Sleeping with the head of the bed elevated may also help.

Dietary changes

If acid reflux is the cause of your symptoms, avoiding trigger foods will help prevent the symptoms. In most cases, this involves avoiding spicy foods, acidic foods, caffeine, and alcohol. If you have confirmed food allergies or sensitivities, you should also avoid those particular foods to prevent an allergic reaction and swelling that can trigger a cough reflex and phlegm production.

Medication

Over-the-counter acid-reducing medications can be used as a tool in addition to dietary modifications to help improve GERD symptoms. In addition to GERD, post-nasal drip (phlegm sliding down your throat) can also cause you to cough after every meal. Using nasal sprays, antihistamines, and decongestants can reduce post-nasal drip.

When you should see a doctor about coughing up phlegm after eating

If you have tried home remedies and you still have phlegm after every meal, it may be time to see a doctor.

You should see a doctor if:

Check in with your doctor if you experience one or more of the following:

• You are coughing up phlegm after every meal for more than a week.
• You have made dietary modifications and are not noticing an improvement in symptoms.
• You notice a small amount of blood in your phlegm after eating.

You should go to the emergency room if:

Seek immediate medical attention if one or more of the below is true:

• You are completely unable to swallow food due to swelling in the throat.
• You are experiencing significant shortness of breath or chest pain after eating.
• You notice a significant amount of blood in your phlegm.

Questions to ask your doctor about coughing up phlegm after eating

• Are my symptoms related to my lungs or my digestive tract?
• Are there any foods that I should avoid to minimize phlegm production?
• What tests can be done to diagnose the cause of my symptoms?
• Are there any medications I can take to relieve the symptoms?

Diagnosing coughing up phlegm after eating

To diagnose the cause of coughing up phlegm after meals, a healthcare provider will take a detailed history and perform a thorough physical exam. If history and physical alone are not diagnostic, your doctor may order additional tests such as a chest X-ray or endoscopy.

How a doctor can help treat coughing up phlegm after eating

If you have tried making adjustments at home and are still experiencing symptoms, your doctor may be able to help.

Prescription medication

If over-the-counter acid-reducing medications are ineffective at treating your GERD symptoms, you may need prescription-strength medication. If you have severe food allergies, you should speak to your healthcare provider about obtaining an epi-pen in the event of accidental ingestion of a food allergen.

Surgical procedures

Sometimes, coughing up phlegm after meals can be related to anatomical conditions. A narrowing of the esophagus and hiatal hernia are two such conditions. In these cases, you may need surgery.

Frequently asked questions: coughing up phlegm after every meal

It is expected that you will have questions for your doctor if you are coughing up phlegm after every meal. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about this symptom.

Are there any specific foods that cause phlegm after eating them?

Yes, certain foods are known to trigger or worsen acid reflux symptoms and coughing after eating. Spicy foods and acidic foods are examples of foods that can trigger coughing and phlegm production.

What if you’re coughing up phlegm after eating or drinking dairy products?

There is a long-standing myth that milk and dairy products increase mucus production and cause you to cough up phlegm. There is still some conflicting information in this department, but most research done at this point indicates that dairy products are not to blame for increased mucus production. However, for some people, dairy products may trigger acid reflux symptoms, which may lead to coughing up phlegm.

What if you’re coughing up phlegm after eating spicy food?

Spicy food can cause you to cough up phlegm if you have GERD. It can also cause you to cough even if you do not have underlying acid reflux. Spicy food can cause irritation in the throat and airways in some individuals.

Final thoughts on phlegm after meals

Coughing up phlegm after every meal can take away the enjoyment of eating and cause distress surrounding mealtimes. If you are experiencing this symptom with every meal, your body is likely trying to tell you that something is going on.

Whether it requires simple lifestyle adjustments and dietary changes or the use of medication, treatment from your doctor can help.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Lane Thaut, DO.

Sources

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Balfour-Lynn, Ian M. “Milk, mucus and myths.” Archives of Disease in Childhood vol. 104,1 (2019): 91-93. doi:10.1136/archdischild-2018-314896 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30190283/

Jiang, Dianxuan, et al. “Current complementary and alternative therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease.” Gastroenterology report vol. 11 goad057. 4 Oct. 2023, doi:10.1093/gastro/goad057 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10551227/

Malek, Ryan and Shadi Soufi. “Pulmonary Edema.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 7 April 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32491543/

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