Headaches are a common problem that affect millions of people around the world. While some head pain may be due to normal stressors, like fatigue or dehydration, there is a connection between what you eat and how your head feels.

There are certain foods and drinks that can trigger headaches and migraines, so it’s essential to avoid or limit them in your diet.

1. Processed Foods

Processed foods like chips, frozen meals, and instant noodles contain a lot of sodium that can increase your blood volume and, in turn, contributes to headaches.

Sodium is known to enhance water retention, which can cause congestion within the head, leading to headache symptoms. Lowering your intake of processed foods can tremendously minimize the occurrence of headaches.

2. Alcohol

Alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it makes you pee more and decreases your body water levels.

Dehydration is a common cause of headaches, especially the morning after drinking alcohol because your body is trying to eliminate the chemical from your system. Alcoholic beverages like red wine have high histamine levels, resulting in migraines and headaches. Therefore, reducing the number of drinks, you have in a week can significantly help alleviate headaches.

3. Caffeine

Many people rely on caffeine to get them through the day. However, overconsumption of caffeine can cause headaches, making it hard for you to lower your intake abruptly.

Taking caffeine regularly causes addiction, resulting in withdrawal signs when you cut back. Scientists believe that caffeine can trigger migraines due to its impact on the brain’s blood pressure and function. If you experience headache symptoms, it’s best to limit your caffeine intake until you feel better.

4. Aged Cheese

Aged cheeses like blue, cheddar, and parmesan contain tyramine, an amino acid that promotes the production of a brain chemical called norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is a natural stimulant that triggers blood vessel constriction, leading to headaches.

Studies show that aged cheese, along with cured meat, beer, and red wine, triggers migraines in individuals who have them. Therefore, you should limit the intake of such cheeses in your diet.

5. Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners like aspartame are commonly found in sugar alternatives and food products that contain low sugar levels. However, aspartame is known to trigger headaches, resulting in symptoms like throbbing and pulsing pain.

Aspartame is classified as an excitotoxin, meaning that it impacts the brain’s nerve cells, leading to headaches.

6. Chocolate

Chocolate is known to cause migraines and headaches in susceptible individuals, mainly if consumed regularly. It contains both tyramine and caffeine, which explain why people who consume chocolate regularly experience headaches.

Additionally, it contains phenylethanolamine, a compound that causes blood vessels to dilate, leading to pulsing sensation headaches.

7. Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and limes are acidic, triggering headaches in some individuals. The acid present in these fruits is known to stimulate the nerve endings in the brain, causing throbbing head pain.

Citrus fruits also contain tyramine, which explains why they trigger migraines in susceptible individuals.

8. Chinese Food

Some Chinese food favorites like soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and fish sauce contain a lot of sodium, which can trigger headaches.

Additionally, foods that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer that is used in many Chinese dishes may trigger headaches in susceptible individuals. If you have sensitivities to MSG, it’s best to avoid Chinese food and go for authentic ones that don’t contain MSG.

9. Nuts

Nuts- particularly peanuts, almonds, and walnuts contain tyramine, which can trigger headaches. Additionally, many nut varieties contain a common mold referred to as ‘aflatoxin,’ which can also trigger headaches in some individuals.

If you experience headaches after consuming nuts, it would help if you eliminated them from your diet altogether.

10. Avocadoes

Avocadoes contain tyramine, a compound known to cause headaches. The guanethidine compound found in avocado triggers blood vessels to decrease in size, resulting in a pulsing sensation headache.

Conclusion

Headaches can be challenging to manage, but monitoring what you eat can go a long way in minimizing their occurrence and severity.

Avoiding foods and drinks that trigger headaches can be as simple as adapting different types of diets, like the ‘migraine diet,’ which is ideal for combating frequent headaches and migraines. Remember, keeping track of what you eat, the timing, and reaction can help uncover underlying issues, preventing uncomfortable and inconvenient occurrences.