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Top 7 foods that cause headaches
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
If you have a headache, most people try to dull the spasms with pills. There are several reasons that cause headaches, and this includes food. You may not even suspect that your head is splitting because of something you ate or drank, so Ilive presents the top 7 foods and drinks that can provoke headaches.
Food additives
There are quite a few food additives that can trigger migraine attacks. These include monosodium glutamate (E 621), a flavor enhancer that can be found in many products, including food from Chinese restaurants. After a while, when monosodium glutamate gets into a person’s mouth, they can feel severe pain, as if their head is in a steel vice. This additive is present in semi-finished products, fast food, industrially manufactured products, dairy and meat products.
Aspartame
Aspartame is a food additive E951 that replaces sugar. It can be found in desserts, fruit juices, chewing gum, and diet sodas. In 1989, scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study and found that aspartame causes headaches. In 11% of study participants, headaches were caused by this food additive.
Alcoholic drinks
Tyramine is an amino acid that affects vascular tone. When tyramine enters the human body, a chain reaction is triggered, leading to vasodilation and, as a result, to headaches. Tyramine is also present in some types of cheese, chocolate and nuts.
Nitrates
Few people still do not know about the harmfulness of nitrates, which are contained in vegetables, especially those grown in greenhouse conditions and on the fly. But nitrates are contained not only in vegetables and fruits, but also in the following food products: sausages, ham and other products that have undergone various processing.
Caffeine
In moderate doses, caffeine is not dangerous and even acts as a stimulant for brain processes. But if you abuse drinks that contain caffeine (coffee, tea, cola), headaches will be guaranteed.
Histamine
In small doses, a substance called histamine can increase the resistance of the immune system. However, excessive consumption of products containing histamine can cause headaches. You should be careful with drinks such as red wine, champagne and beer, as well as sausages, chocolate and seafood.
Citrus acids
Citrus fruits can also be one of the causes of headaches. Lemons, grapefruits and oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C, which in turn increases the body's defenses and helps it fight various infections, but for some people, namely allergy sufferers, an excess of acids in the body can lead to headaches.
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