9 Foods That Can Cause A Headache

We all have experienced headaches and we all know how annoying, painful and disruptive it feels.

While sometimes, a headache may start out of the blue, at other times you may notice a pattern (like you get a headache after doing or not doing a certain thing).

Lack of sleep, loud noise and stress are some of the common causes of headache. But there is another common thing that we often fail to recognise that can trigger a headache - our diet.

Certain foods have been linked to causing headache and cutting back on these can help relieve pain. Here is a list of some foods that can trigger a headache.

02/10​Alcohol

Sulfites, which are added to some wines and other alcoholic beverages to keep them fresh have been linked to migraine headaches. Even if your drink does not have sulfites, the dehydration caused by alcohol can leave you with a pounding headache.

03/10​Soda and colas

Artificial sweeteners have been linked to headache, dizziness and memory loss. Though not everyone gets a headache after having a diet soda but for some people it can be a trigger.

04/10​Cured meats

Cured meats like hot dog and bacon always remain fresh. Have you ever wondered why? This is because the food makers use nitrates and nitrites to preserve these. These compounds can dilate the blood vessels and in turn trigger headache.

These meats are also heavily salted, which can cause dehydration and cause a headache.

05/10​Soy sauce

Soy sauce is extremely high in sodium. which can lead to dehydration. Even mild dehydration can cause headaches.

06/10​Foods with MSG

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which is a flavour enhancer is a plant protein broken down chemically into amino acids. One of these amino acids, glutamic acid, can release free glutamate, which joins the free sodium in your body and form monosodium glutamate (MSG). MSG is an additive that can cause nausea and headaches.

07/10​Avocado

Avocado is one of the healthiest foods with numerous health benefits. But for some avocado might trigger a headache. It has tyramine, which forces the blood vessels to constrict and then expand, leading to a nasty headache.

08/10​Bananas

One of the healthiest snacks, banana can also be a headache trigger.

09/10​Cheese

Aged cheese has tyramine, which constricts and expands your blood vessels, leading to a pounding headache.

10/10Gum

If you have a habit of chewing gum often, it can be the reason behind your frequent headaches. As per a study, prolonged muscular contraction in the head or neck can provoke a headache.