Cold symptoms: Does drinking milk increase phlegm?

My mother told me that I shouldn't give milk to my son when he has a cold because it increases phlegm. Is this true?

- Carrie / Nebraska

Mayo Clinic infectious disease specialist James Steckelberg, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

Phlegm is the thick, sticky mucus that drips down the back of your throat when you have a cold. Although drinking milk may make phlegm thicker and more irritating to your throat than it would normally be, milk doesn't cause your body to make more phlegm. Frozen dairy products are an easy way to soothe a sore throat and provide calories to an ill child who otherwise may not eat.