Food-Triggered Headaches: Causes & Solutions

Headaches can range from mild to severe and may be triggered by normal activities. According to WebMD, more than 25% of migraine sufferers have food-triggered headaches.

Food Triggers

• Alcoholic beverages such as red wine and beer may be headache triggers.

  Foods containing the chemical tyramine commonly trigger headaches. Many foods--such as cheeses, processed meats, onions, nuts, and red wine--naturally contain this chemical .

Additive Triggers

• Food additives such as nitrates and colorings may increase blood flow to the brain, which can cause headaches in some people.

Brain Freeze Headache

• Icecream and slush-like drinks commonly cause "brain freeze."

  Eating or drinking extremely cold foods cools the blood that flows near the brain and can result in a "brain freeze" headache, which commonly lasts only a few minutes.

Medical Condition

• Trigeminal neuralgia is a medical condition characterized by searing pain in the face after common activities such as eating or applying makeup. Seek medical treatment if over-the-counter treatments do not alleviate the symptoms.

Determine Your Trigger

• If you suspect a certain food trigger, keep a diary of the foods you eat and how you are affected. Some people may be able to avoid food headaches by avoiding certain foods and beverages.