According to some studies, what we eat and when we eat it can play a significant role in headache. Different causes of diet-related headache include:
- fluctuations in blood-sugar levels, which can lead to spasm of the arteries in the head
- caffeine withdrawal, commonly caused by regular and excessive consumption of coffee or tea
- food additives, such as MSG (monosodium glutamate)
- naturally occurring chemicals in foods, such as amines (e.g. tyramine).
Aged Cheese
The trouble with aged cheese is that it's high in
tyramine, a substance that forms from the breakdown of protein in certain foods. The longer a food ages, the greater the tyramine content is. For people with a sensitivity to tyramine, The Cleveland Clinic warns against the following types of cheese:
- Blue cheeses
- Brie
- Cheddar
- Stilton
- Feta
- Gorgonzola
- Mozzarella
- Muenster
- Parmesan
- Swiss
- Processed cheese
Other foods high in tyramine include processed meats, pickles, onions, olives, certain types of beans, raisins, nuts, avocados, canned soups, and red wine.
Doctors concede it can be difficult to avoid all of these foods. Nestor Galvez-Jimenez, MD, a neurologist with The Cleveland Clinic Florida, says some of his tyramine-sensitive patients prefer to take their chances. "They want to drink wine even if they know it will give them a headache. In that case, I recommend a preventive dose of
medication before dinner." He stresses that patients should discuss this idea with their doctors before trying it.
Avoid Certain Additives
Certain food additives, including nitrites and some food colorings, are also common headache triggers. Like tyramine, these additives may increase blood flow to the brain causing headaches in some people."We don't understand exactly why this happens," Galvez-Jimenez tells WebMD, "but it has to do with changes in blood vessels."
Unlike classic migraines which affects are also triggered by a substance and are felt on one side of the head, headaches induced by additives or other substances are usually sensed on both sides of the head:
- Occur within a specific time after substance intake
- Disappears when a substance is eliminated or within a specific time thereafter
Monosodium glutamate-induced headaches, previously known as Chinese restaurant syndrome, occur within an hour after ingestion of MSG and can cause at least two of the following:
- Pressure in the chest or face
- Burning sensation in the chest, neck, or shoulders
- Dizziness
- Abdominal discomfort
Experts continue to debate the effects of MSG, an additive found in soy sauce, Chinese foods and many packaged foods. "MSG is a big one," says Galvez-Jimenez.
"Reasons" to Enhance the Flavor
Because MSG is a flavor enhancer for foods, many competitors
in the food industry use lower quality foods and just add it in because of its
cheap price. This allows the manufacturer to have a large gain in
the economy. There is a large investment in MSG that leads food
giants and glutamate manufacturers to get together to finance medical research
studies to prove the safety of the additive to the consumer. Obviously,
the research done in these studies funded by the manufacturer will prove the
safety of MSG. The FDA’s Advisory Board consists of food industry
reps as opposed to an unbiased group. It would only seem natural
that the board accepts these research studies. When doctors look at these
reports, they see that they are industry funded and don’t take into
consideration that MSG could be causing their patients pain.
MSG – A Hidden Additive
MSG can be difficult to pinpoint in many foods because it
can be "hidden". Food processing companies
disguise it with many names (permitted by the Food and Drug Administration). Sufferers
try to avoid foods with MSG on the label, completely unaware of the additional
names that MSG goes by. Patients also believe that their symptoms
are due to an allergic reaction to the product, which isn’t the case. They
are experiencing signs of toxic poisoning, and anyone who intakes MSG in a
sufficient quantity can experience this as well.
Where is the MSG Hiding?
The following are a few products that ALWAYS contain MSG:
- Hydrolyzed
Vegetable Protein (HVP)
- Sodium
or Calcium Caseinate
- Autolyzed
Yeast, Yeast Extract
- Yeast
Food, Yeast Nutrient
- Textured
Protein
- Glutamic
Acid
- Monopotassium
Glutamate
- Gelatin
- Rice
Syrup or Brown Rice Syrup
The following products may contain MSG or create MSG
during processing:
- Natural
Flavors, flavoring, flavors, natural "anything" flavor
- Bouillon
or Stock
- Broth
(chicken, beef, any kind)
- Carrageenan
- Whey
protein, whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate
- Soy
sauce, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate
- Malt
Extract or Flavoring, Malted Barley
- Maltodextrin
- Anything
Protein fortified
- Anything
Fermented
- Anything
Ultra Pasteurized
- Anything
Enzyme-modified
