What to eat to get rid of metallic taste?

November 23, 2025 •

4 min read

Up to 86% of people undergoing chemotherapy experience a persistent metallic or bitter taste in their mouth. This unpleasant sensation, known as dysgeusia, can be caused by various factors, but adjusting your diet is a powerful and proactive strategy for figuring out what to eat to get rid of metallic taste.

Quick Summary

This guide details effective dietary and lifestyle strategies to combat an unpleasant metallic taste. It covers specific foods and flavors that can mask the sensation, ingredients to avoid, and other practical tips to help restore your sense of taste and make meals enjoyable again.

Key Points

Leverage Tart and Citrus Flavors: Foods like lemons, limes, pickles, and vinegar can effectively mask the metallic taste.
Choose Cold or Room-Temperature Foods: Chilled or frozen foods are often more palatable and can minimize the unpleasant taste.
Swap Red Meat for Milder Proteins: Opt for chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, or legumes to avoid the metallic-intensifying effects of red meat.
Maintain Excellent Oral Hygiene: Regular brushing, flossing, and using a baking soda rinse before meals can help clear the mouth.
Avoid Metal Utensils and Cookware: Use plastic, wood, or ceramic utensils and cookware to prevent intensifying the metallic sensation.
Use Strong Herbs and Spices: Flavor your food with robust herbs and spices like garlic, ginger, and basil to overpower the metallic taste.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water or infused water helps maintain saliva flow and flushes out lingering flavors.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum or Mints: Stimulate saliva production with sugar-free gum, mints, or hard candies to neutralize the metallic flavor.

Understanding the Causes of Dysgeusia

A metallic taste, clinically known as dysgeusia, is a distortion of the sense of taste. While it can be caused by medications, infections, and pregnancy, dietary changes and good oral hygiene are often the first line of defense. Addressing the root cause is essential, but while you do, certain food and drink choices can significantly mask or counteract the unpleasant sensation.

Foods and Flavors That Fight Metallic Taste

Certain foods are particularly effective at combating or masking a metallic taste. The key lies in leveraging strong, contrasting flavors and textures to stimulate your taste buds and overpower the undesirable taste.

Sour and Tart Foods

Acids and tart flavors are excellent for cutting through the metallic sensation and stimulating saliva production, which helps neutralize the lingering taste.

Citrus Fruits: Lemon, lime, and orange juice can be sipped throughout the day or added to meals. Sucking on a lemon wedge or sugar-free lemon drops before a meal can also prime your taste buds.
Pickled Foods: Olives, pickles, and sauerkraut provide a potent, sour punch that effectively masks the metallic flavor.
Vinegar: A dash of vinegar can brighten up a dish and counterbalance any off-putting tastes. Red wine vinegar is especially effective when cooking.
Tart Berries and Grapes: Incorporate tart grapes, raspberries, or cranberries into your diet.

Sweet and Savory Options

Sometimes, a bit of sweetness or a robust, savory flavor is all it takes to reset your palate.

Sugar-Free Gum or Mints: Chewing sugar-free gum or sucking on sugar-free mints can stimulate saliva flow, which helps clear the mouth.
Herbs and Spices: Don't be afraid to season your food generously. Strong herbs and spices like basil, oregano, rosemary, garlic, and ginger can add a pleasant flavor to your meals.
Marinades and Sauces: Using flavorful marinades, like sweet and sour or teriyaki sauce, can dramatically improve the taste of meats and tofu.

Other Dietary Adjustments to Consider

In addition to adding specific foods, making broader changes to your diet and eating habits can help manage metallic taste.

Prioritize Cooler, Milder Foods

Many people find that foods served cold or at room temperature are more tolerable than hot meals.

Chilled Desserts: Ice cream, flavored gelatin, or puddings can be soothing and taste pleasant.
Cold Proteins: Opt for cold chicken, tuna salad, or eggs instead of a hot steak.
Frozen Fruits: Frozen grapes, berries, or fruit popsicles can be a refreshing and palate-cleansing snack.

Replace Red Meat with Alternatives

For some individuals, red meat can intensify the metallic flavor due to its high iron content.

Mild Protein Sources: Switch to milder protein options like chicken, fish, tofu, or eggs.
Legumes and Dairy: Legumes such as beans and lentils, as well as dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese, are good alternatives.

Hydration and Oral Rinses

Staying well-hydrated helps flush toxins and bacteria from your mouth.

Infused Water: Add slices of lemon, lime, or cucumber to your water for a subtle, refreshing flavor.
Mouth Rinse: Before eating, try rinsing your mouth with a solution of baking soda, salt, and water to neutralize acids and cleanse the palate.

Comparison Table: Food Choices for Managing Metallic Taste


Food Category	Beneficial Foods/Options	Foods to Potentially Limit
Flavor Profile	Citrus fruits, pickles, vinegar, bold spices (ginger, garlic)	Highly processed, overly sweet, or strongly bitter foods
Protein Sources	Poultry, fish, tofu, eggs, beans, yogurt	Red meat, especially large cuts or strongly flavored varieties
Temperature	Cold or room-temperature foods, frozen fruits	Very hot foods and drinks, which can amplify unpleasant tastes
Beverages	Water with lemon/lime, herbal teas, carbonated water	Canned beverages, coffee, and alcohol, which can intensify the metallic flavor
Utensils/Cookware	Plastic, wooden, or ceramic utensils; glass cookware	Metal utensils, pots, and pans, which can contribute to the metallic taste

Other Strategies Beyond Diet

While focusing on food is helpful, managing metallic taste also involves broader lifestyle adjustments. National Institutes of Health offers comprehensive resources on taste disorders for those seeking additional information on related conditions.

Improve Oral Hygiene

Regular and thorough oral care is crucial. Bacteria and food particles can accumulate in the mouth and contribute to a bad taste.

Brush your teeth, tongue, and gums twice daily.
Floss regularly to remove food particles.
Use a mouthwash, or a simple salt and baking soda rinse, before meals to cleanse your palate.

Adjust Utensils and Cookware

Some people report that eating with metal cutlery intensifies the metallic sensation.

Swap metal forks and spoons for plastic or bamboo alternatives.
Use glass or ceramic cookware instead of metal pots and pans.

Stay Hydrated

Dry mouth can worsen a metallic taste. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day helps maintain saliva flow and flushes out any lingering substances.

Consider Zinc Supplements (Consult a Doctor)

Zinc deficiency can sometimes be a cause of altered taste. However, it is essential to consult a healthcare provider before taking supplements, as they can interact with other medications and should be taken at the correct dosage.

Conclusion

Dealing with a persistent metallic taste can be frustrating and impact your quality of life. By incorporating the right foods and flavors into your diet, you can effectively mask the unpleasant sensation and make eating enjoyable again. Focusing on tart and acidic foods, milder protein sources, and maintaining excellent oral hygiene are all productive strategies. Remember to also avoid potential culprits like red meat and metal utensils. If the problem persists, consulting a doctor is the best course of action to identify and address any underlying medical issues. In most cases, these simple yet effective adjustments can help you get back to savoring your food and reclaiming your palate.

Frequently Asked Questions

To combat a metallic taste, focus on incorporating sour or tart foods like citrus fruits (lemons, limes), pickles, and vinegar. Other helpful options include strong-flavored herbs and spices like ginger and garlic, and cold or chilled foods.

A metallic taste can be caused by various factors, including poor oral hygiene, certain medications (like antibiotics or chemotherapy drugs), vitamin deficiencies (especially zinc and B12), pregnancy, infections (colds, sinus issues), and conditions like acid reflux or kidney disease.

Yes, staying well-hydrated is important. Drinking plenty of water helps combat dry mouth, which can worsen the metallic taste, and helps flush out toxins and bacteria.

Yes, some foods can intensify the metallic taste. It's often recommended to avoid red meat (due to iron content), very sweet foods, and canned items. Using metal utensils and cookware can also be a factor to avoid.

Yes, switching from metal utensils to plastic, wooden, or ceramic ones can help. For some people, the contact with metal cutlery can exacerbate the metallic taste sensation.

Drinking water infused with lemon or lime can be effective. Herbal teas, carbonated water, and fruit juices can also help. Some find a pre-meal rinse with a baking soda and salt solution helpful as well.

Yes, experiencing a metallic taste, often in the first trimester, is a common symptom of pregnancy due to hormonal changes. The sensation is typically temporary and subsides as the pregnancy progresses.

Yes, deficiencies in vitamins such as B12 and minerals like zinc can affect your taste buds and cause a metallic taste. A healthcare provider can determine if supplementation is needed.