Best Thickeners for Hot Drinks in Dysphagia Care

Tea and coffee are the hardest thicken. Starch thickeners go thin as the drink cools; gum-based hold. This is the morning-round problem every care home faces.

What to look for

• Hot-drink stable — holds thickness as it cools
• No clumping in a hot cup
• Neutral taste in tea/coffee
• Clear or near-clear (residents notice colour)
• IDDSI-levelled

Top picks

Resource ThickenUp Clear (Gum-based)

Holds in hot drinks, no chalk, clear.

Nutilis Hot (Formulated)

Made for hot drinks specifically, good stability.

SimplyThick (Gum-based)

Smooth but pricier and less on supply.

The bottom line

Train staff to thicken the drink, not add to it cold — stirring a starch powder into hot tea is how you get lumps.

For the full framework these tools sit inside, see our Complete Guide to Dysphagia in Care Homes.