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Nutrition
Can some foods cause headaches?
Can some foods cause headaches?
htmASKTHEDOCfoodcausedheadaches
Yes, many foods and drinks can cause headaches.
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InteliHealth
2010-06-25
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Howard LeWine, M.D.
2012-06-25
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Harvard Medical School
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General Medical Questions
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Q: Can some foods cause headaches?
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The Trusted Source
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Howard LeWine, M.D.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is chief editor of Internet Publishing, Harvard Health Publications. He is a clinical instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. LeWine has been a primary care internist and teacher of internal medicine since 1978.

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June 25, 2010
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A:

Yes, many foods and drinks can cause headaches. Here are some of the more common ones:

  • Red wine
    Of all the alcoholic drinks, this one most often triggers a headache. Red wine contains the amino acid tyramine, which causes headaches in sensitive people. However, some people with headaches are sensitive to all alcoholic drinks.
  • Caffeinated drinks
    The problem is not when you drink coffee, tea, soda or other drinks that contain caffeine. The headaches come on if you suddenly stop taking in the caffeine.
  • Aged foods
    As cheese ages, the breakdown of the protein releases the amino acid tyramine, the same ingredient that is the cause of headaches related to red wine.
  • Processed foods
    Foods like hot dogs and pepperoni often contain nitrates, another headache trigger. Some processed foods also are rich in tyramine.
  • Chocolate
    A little bit of chocolate usually won't trigger a headache. When chocolate does cause a headache, tyramine is probably the culprit.
  • Very cold foods
    An ice cream headache usually comes on quickly and lasts less than a minute. But for some people who experience migraine headaches, eating ice cream can trigger a more prolonged migraine attack.

The best way to find what foods and/or drinks cause your headaches is to keep a diary. Every time you have a headache, write down everything you ate and drank before the headache started. You might discover that it is not the food that's causing the trouble, but one of the additives.

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