Some foods like chocolate, sausages, and alcoholic beverages can cause migraines. Additionally, migraine crises can also be caused by factors such as stress, not sleeping well, drinking little water and/or not practicing physical activity.
The types of foods that cause migraines vary from person to person, so it can be challenging to identify them. Thus, it is essential to keep a food diary to write down what you eat throughout the day and when the migraine pain started, in order to try to find a relationship.
Therefore, it is advisable to consult a nutritionist or doctor to carry out a more detailed clinical evaluation and identify factors that may be contributing to migraines and which foods may be triggering the attacks.
The main foods that can cause migraines are:
1.Caffeinated drinks
Coffee, green tea, black tea, mate tea, energy drinks, and soda contain caffeine, a compound that can trigger migraine attacks in some people. In other people, drinking moderate amounts of caffeine can relieve migraines because caffeine has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Some people who stop consuming caffeinated beverages notice improvements in their migraine attacks. Other people who stop consuming these drinks, have worse migraine. This happens because frequently consuming caffeine and stopping it abruptly causes withdrawal, causing a headache.
Therefore, it is essential to check whether the moderate consumption of up to 400mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to 600 ml of filtered coffee, per day is well tolerated or whether these types of drinks should be completely excluded from the diet.
2. Processed meats
Processed meats, such as salami, ham, pepperoni, bacon, sausage, sausage, turkey breast, or chicken, can cause migraines.
These types of products contain nitrates and nitrites , which are substances used to preserve and improve the color and flavor of food. They are associated with headaches, as they increase the dilation of blood vessels, triggering migraine attacks up to 2 hours after ingestion.
3. Chocolate
Chocolate is a well known food item that cause migraines because it contains caffeine. Some theories try to explain why chocolate causes headaches, and one of them is that it increases serotonin levels in the blood. This neurotransmitter is related to migraine attacks.
However, studies have not yet been able to prove that chocolate really triggers migraines. Thus, it is recommended to observe whether the intake of this food is related to migraine attacks or not.
4. Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits such as orange, lemon, pineapple and kiwi can trigger migraine attacks. That’s because these fruits contain octopamine, a compound with vasodilator action that may favor migraines in some people.
Therefore, it is important to observe which fruits cause migraines. In addition, it is also advised to have a follow-up of a nutritionist, to avoid excluding fruits that do not cause migraines and that contain essential nutrients for the body from the diet.
5. Monosodium Glutamate
Concentrations higher than 2.5 grams of monosodium glucamate in food products are linked to headaches and migraine attacks.
Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer employed by the industry of food to improve the taste of food items like soy sauce processed meat, and packaged snacks, like.
The ingredient can be referred to by different names, including glutamic acid as well as monosodium glycomate. This is why it is crucial to look at the nutritional label of food products to determine whether or not it contains this ingredient.
6. Alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic drinks can also trigger migraine attacks, notably white wine, red champagne, wine and beer and champagne, which is believed to occur due to their vasoactive as well as neuroinflammatory properties.
The headache resulting from drinking these drinks typically occurs between 30 minutes and 3 hours after drinking, and even small amounts of alcohol can cause headaches.
7.Yeasts
Yeasts are fungi that contain tyramine, a compound derived from the amino acid tyrosine, which causes the dilation of the arteries, favoring the onset of migraines.
Yeasts are used in the manufacture of starters, being found mainly in bread, cakes, and beverages, such as wine and beer. In addition, yeast can also be used in the form of supplements, such as brewer’s yeast.
8. Seeds and oilseeds
Seeds and nuts, such as peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds, are high in tyramine, a compound that can trigger migraines.
9. Dairy products
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, , and yogurt, contain tyramine, a compound that can trigger migraines. Tyramine is found in high amounts in matured and aged cheeses such as blue cheese, brie, cheddar, Roquefort, gorgonzola, emmental, and parmesan.
10 Foods with gluten
Gluten-containing foods like wheat, barley, rye, or malt, as well as preparations that contain these ingredients, such as pasta, bread or pizza, can trigger migraines for those suffering from IBS gluten intolerance, celiac disease. wheat protein allergy.
11. Pickled foods
Preserved foods contain histamine, tyramine, and/or monosodium glutamate, which are compounds that increase cerebral artery dilation, causing migraine attacks.
Some examples of canned foods that can cause migraines are pickles, corn, dried tomatoes, parsley, olives, sauerkraut, sardines, and canned tuna.
12. Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose, can activate monosodium glutamate receptors in the brain, increasing sensitivity and causing migraine attacks.
Foods That Improve Migraines
Foods that improve migraines have relaxing and anti-inflammatory action, such as:
- Bananas, oats, and avocado, as they are rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes the relaxation of blood vessels and well-being;
- Tea made of ginger since it contains anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that can ease discomfort;
- Cabbage juice with coconut water because it is rich in antioxidants that fight inflammation;
- Herbal tea, such as lavender, fennel or lemon balm, as they are relaxing, analgesic, and helps promote well-being.
In addition, including magnesium-rich foods in the diet, such as brown rice and oatmeal, also helps to relieve migraines. That’s because this mineral prevents the contraction of blood vessels and decreases substances that transmit pain, such as Substance P and glutamate.
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