It is common knowledge that chocolate, caffeine and alcohol can cause headaches in some people. In more than a small number of cases, they can also cause devastating migraine headaches, in addition to “regular”, no-migraine headaches.
Besides those foods and beverages which are known to cause headaches in some people, there are other foods that are just as problematic for certain individuals. Eating the following 5 foods has been linked to higher instances of non-migraine and migraine headaches. Keeping a food journal and recognizing what types of foods or beverages you eat and drink before you experience a headache is a good way to see if you have any food triggers which cause headaches
Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
If you like Asian food and you find yourself getting frequent headaches, MSG is probably the culprit. Monosodium glutamate is found in extremely high levels in Chinese food and food that is popular in some other Asian cultures. MSG has been linked to so many health conditions that it is advisable to avoid it altogether. It is known to cause diarrhea, cramps and a devastating headache in some cases. As many as 10% and 15% of people who get headaches because of MSG develop a migraine. MSG is found in soy sauce and other Asian foods and sauces.
Aged Cheese
Cheese and other dairy products trigger a lactose intolerance in some people. The older the cheese, the more of a chance that you will develop a headache. This is because of a chemical called tyramine, which begins to show up as cheese proteins break down, especially in aged cheese. The longer your cheese ages the more tyramine it develops, and this chemical has been linked to headaches and migraines.
Ice Cream
Who doesn’t like ice cream? Even though ice cream is beloved by so many, you probably understand that it is not the healthiest food in the world. If you eat ice cream, or did as a kid, you probably know the price you pay for wolfing it down too quickly is the trademark “ice cream headache”. This occurs not only when you eat ice cream rapidly, but also when you are overheated and eat ice cream.
Hot Dogs and Other Processed Meats
Nitrates
Nitrites and other harmful preservatives which really don’t belong in your body are found in high levels in processed meats. This includes sausages, lunch meats, bacon and hot dogs.
Bananas
Bananas are good for you in a lot of ways. It also seems they might possibly be a headache trigger for some people. If you are sensitive to tyramine, the protein found in aged cheeses which we talked about earlier, start keeping a food diary if you experience more headaches when your banana consumption increases.
