Migraines are debilitating headaches that are may be accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. The migraine sufferer might also suffer mood changes and also see flashing lights or colors. Certain foods have been proven to trigger migraines. Avoiding certain foods can affect how often you have migraines.
Trigger Foods
Trigger foods are found in all the food groups. Many foods that trigger migraines are processed foods, so limiting your intake of processed foods can help you manage the frequency of migraines. Avoid processed meats, such as aged, canned or processed deli meats. You want to limit your consumption of caffeine-containing drinks and foods, such as energy drinks, coffee and tea, chocolate, cacao and carob. Fresh foods that can trigger migraines include avocados, aged cheese, figs, lentils, papaya, passion fruit, pea pods, onions, red plums and snow peas. You should limit all foods that contain monosodium glutamate, or MSG, and aspartame. Meat seasonings and flavorings can contain MSG, so read the labels carefully for that ingredient. Read medication ingredients, especially if you are also diabetic because aspartame is used as a sweetener in cough syrups and other medications to improve flavor. You also want to limit your intake of wheat products, nuts and peanuts, eggs, apples, corn and bananas, as stated by Physicians Committee to Responsible Medicine. Nitrites found in some processed and deli meats can trigger migraines, so read your food labels to look for preservatives.
Tyramine
Tyramine is produced from the breakdown of tyrosine, an amino acid found in commonly eaten foods. Tyramine causes your blood vessels in your brain to constrict, and then your blood vessels rebound by swelling. This, in addition to the increased release of epinephrine, triggers migraines in some people who are sensitive to tyramine, according to the National Headache Foundation. Foods that contain tyramine include aged cheeses, red wine, chocolate, fish, beans and legumes, chicken liver, alcohol. Milk products contain tyrosine, which your body will convert to tyramine and possibly trigger migraines, if you are sensitive.
Diet Prevention
Avoiding certain foods that are migraine triggers is useful in preventing migraines. Focus on foods that are considered "safe." You can eat all types of rice, but especially brown rice; cooked green, orange and yellow vegetables; and dried non-citrus fruits, such as prunes, pears, cherries and cranberries, according to Physicians Committee to Responsible Medicine. Condiments can be used sparingly and in modest amounts. Read the label to look for flavor enhancers, such as MSG, and other derivatives of it to avoid this potential trigger. Following a low-tyramine diet and avoiding flavor enhancers and artificial sweeteners can help you manage the frequency of migraines.
