There are many foods that can trigger headaches and migraines. Not only can specific foods trigger a headache, but dietary habits can also play a role. Fasting, dehydration, or skipping meals may also cause headaches. By tracking your headache episodes through your headache diary, you may be able to identify specific foods that trigger your headaches.

Surprising Headache Triggers

What Foods Trigger Headaches and Migraines?

Some of the most common foods, beverages, and additives associated with headaches include:

Aged cheese and other tyramine-containing foods: Tyramine is a substance found naturally in some foods. It is formed from the breakdown of protein as foods age. Generally, the longer a high-protein food ages, the greater the tyramine content. The amount of tyramine in cheeses differs greatly due to the variations in processing, fermenting, aging, degradation, or even bacterial contamination. For people who take monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor medications to treat their headaches, it is especially important to avoid all foods containing tyramine, including aged cheeses, red wine, alcoholic beverages, and some processed meats, as these foods can trigger severe hypertension.
Alcohol: Blood flow to your brain increases when you drink alcohol. Some scientists blame the headache on impurities in alcohol or by-products produced as your body metabolizes alcohol. Red wine, beer, whiskey, and champagne are the most commonly identified headache triggers.
Food additives: Food preservatives (or additives) contained in certain foods can trigger headaches. The additives, nitrates and nitrites, dilate blood vessels, causing headaches in some people.
Cold foods: Cold foods can cause headaches in some people. It's more likely to occur if you are over-heated from exercise or hot temperatures. Pain, which is felt in the forehead, peaks 25 to 60 seconds and lasts from several seconds to one or two minutes. More than 90% of migraine sufferers report sensitivity to ice cream and cold substances.

Do Other Foods Trigger Headaches and Migraines?

These foods have been identified as headache and migraine triggers by some sufferers.

Peanuts, peanut butter, other nuts and seeds
Pizza
Potato chip products
Chicken livers and other organ meats
Smoked or dried fish
Sourdough bread, fresh baked yeast goods (donuts, cakes, homemade breads, and rolls)
Bread, crackers, and desserts containing cheese
Certain fresh fruits including ripe bananas, citrus fruits, papaya, red plums, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple
Dried fruits (figs, raisins, dates)
Soups made from meat extracts or bouillon (not homemade broth)
Cultured dairy products, sour cream, buttermilk, yogurt
Caffeine found in chocolate and cocoa; beverages such as coffee, tea and colas; also found in certain medications
Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners

What Cheeses Have High Tyramine Levels?

The following types of cheeses have been reported to be high in tyramine:

Blue cheeses
Brie
Cheddar
Stilton
Feta
Gorgonzola
Mozzarella
Muenster
Parmesan
Swiss
Processed cheese

Other foods high in tyramine are: aged, canned, cured or processed meats, certain beans (fava, broad, garbanzo, lima, pinto), onions, olives, pickles, avocados, raisins, canned soups, and nuts.

What Food Products Contain Additives?

Hot dogs
Ham
Sausage
Bacon
Luncheon meats and deli-style meats
Pepperoni
Other cured or processed meats
Some heart medications
MSG (monosodium glutamate). MSG is a food additive/flavor enhancer found in soy sauce, meat tenderizer, Oriental foods, and a variety of packaged foods.