Which Food to Avoid During Migraines? Your Guide to Common Triggers

November 19, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the American Migraine Foundation, approximately one-quarter of migraine patients will have a food or drink trigger. Identifying which food to avoid during migraines is a crucial step for many individuals seeking to minimize the frequency and severity of their attacks.

Quick Summary

This article outlines common dietary triggers for migraines, such as aged cheeses, processed meats, caffeine, and alcohol. It details the chemical compounds within these foods that can cause headaches and offers guidance on how to identify personal triggers through a food diary. The guide also covers less obvious triggers like certain fruits and food additives.

Key Points

Identify Personal Triggers: Not all common food triggers affect every individual. Use a food diary to track your specific sensitivities.
Reduce Tyramine and Histamine: Limit aged cheeses and fermented foods like sauerkraut and soy sauce, which contain high levels of these migraine-triggering compounds.
Avoid Processed Meats: Many processed meats, including hot dogs and bacon, contain nitrates and nitrites that can trigger headaches in some people.
Manage Caffeine Intake: Practice caution with caffeine. Sudden withdrawal or overconsumption can both trigger migraines. Maintain a consistent, moderate intake or eliminate it slowly.
Beware of Certain Additives: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and artificial sweeteners like aspartame are frequently reported triggers for a subset of migraine sufferers.
Maintain Regular Meals: Skipping meals can cause blood sugar fluctuations that trigger migraines. Eating consistent, small meals throughout the day is a recommended practice.
Assess Alcohol Consumption: Red wine is a common trigger due to its content of histamines, sulfites, and quercetin. Track your reaction to alcohol and consider limiting or avoiding it.
Holistic Approach is Key: Remember that diet is just one factor among many. Stress, sleep, and hydration also play significant roles in managing migraines.

Understanding the Complex Relationship Between Diet and Migraines

For many people, food and drink can act as a catalyst for a migraine attack, though the link is often inconsistent and varies from person to person. While a universal 'migraine diet' doesn't exist, understanding potential food triggers and their chemical components can empower you to make informed choices. The key is not to eliminate entire food groups without a clear correlation, but to identify and avoid your personal culprits.

Common Culinary Culprits: Foods to Watch

Several foods are frequently reported as triggers for migraines, primarily due to certain chemical compounds they contain, such as tyramine, histamines, and nitrates.

Aged and Fermented Foods

Aged Cheeses: Hard cheeses like cheddar, blue cheese, Swiss, and Parmesan contain high levels of tyramine, an amino acid that forms as proteins break down. Tyramine can affect blood vessel dilation in some sensitive individuals, leading to headaches.
Fermented Foods: Items like sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, soy sauce, and miso are rich in histamines and tyramine. High histamine levels are also associated with triggering migraines.

Processed and Cured Meats

Nitrates and Nitrites: Deli meats, bacon, ham, sausages, and hot dogs often contain nitrates and nitrites used as preservatives and for coloring. These compounds can cause blood vessels to dilate, a potential trigger for migraines.

Caffeine and Chocolate

Caffeine: A double-edged sword, caffeine can provide pain relief but can also trigger headaches, especially with overuse or abrupt withdrawal. A sudden drop in caffeine intake can cause blood vessels to enlarge, triggering a withdrawal headache.
Chocolate: Despite mixed research, chocolate is a frequently reported trigger. It contains phenylethylamine, tyramine, and caffeine, which may contribute to headaches in susceptible individuals.

Alcoholic Beverages

Red Wine: Frequently cited as a migraine trigger, red wine contains histamines, tyramine, and sulfites. New research also suggests a flavonoid called quercetin may interfere with alcohol metabolism in some people, leading to headaches.

The Importance of Consistent Eating Patterns

Beyond specific ingredients, irregular eating habits can also trigger migraines. Skipping meals or fasting can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar, which is a known trigger for many migraine sufferers. Maintaining a consistent schedule of meals and snacks is a simple yet effective management strategy.

How to Identify Your Personal Triggers

To pinpoint which foods affect you, a headache diary is an invaluable tool. For several weeks, record everything you eat and drink, noting the timing of meals and any subsequent migraine symptoms. This method helps identify potential patterns without resorting to overly restrictive diets. If a link is suspected, try eliminating the food for a few weeks to see if your symptoms improve. It is important to note that many studies on diet and migraines rely on self-reported data, which can be subject to recall bias, and rigorous scientific evidence for many individual food triggers is limited.

Comparison Table: Common Migraine Triggers and Proposed Mechanisms


Food Category	Specific Examples	Proposed Migraine-Inducing Compound(s)	Mechanism
Aged Cheeses	Cheddar, Parmesan, Blue Cheese	Tyramine, Histamine	Affects blood vessel tone and neurotransmitters
Processed Meats	Bacon, Hot Dogs, Salami	Nitrates, Nitrites, Tyramine	Dilates blood vessels and causes vascular changes
Alcohol	Red Wine, Beer	Histamine, Tyramine, Sulfites, Quercetin	Induces inflammation and vasodilation
Caffeine	Coffee, Tea, Chocolate	Caffeine	Vasoconstrictive effect leads to rebound dilation upon withdrawal
Artificial Sweeteners	Aspartame, Sucralose	Aspartame	May affect neurotransmitter pathways
MSG	Flavor Enhancer, Processed Foods	Monosodium Glutamate	Affects nerve signaling in sensitive individuals
Citrus Fruits	Oranges, Grapefruit, Lemons	Histamine Precursors	May irritate the digestive system and affect blood vessels

Beyond the Plate: Other Factors to Consider

It's also important to remember that diet is one of many potential migraine triggers. Stress, hormonal changes, sleep disturbances, and environmental factors can all play a significant role. For example, the craving for chocolate that precedes a migraine attack can be a prodrome symptom, not the cause itself. A holistic approach that includes stress management, consistent sleep, and hydration alongside dietary awareness often yields the best results.

Conclusion

While a definitive, one-size-fits-all list of foods to avoid during migraines does not exist, a proactive approach can significantly improve migraine management. By understanding common triggers like aged cheeses, processed meats, caffeine, and alcohol, and diligently tracking your personal reactions with a food diary, you can identify and minimize your exposure to potential culprits. Maintaining consistent meal schedules, staying hydrated, and managing other lifestyle factors like stress will further support your efforts in controlling migraine episodes. Always consult a healthcare professional before making significant dietary changes, especially regarding restrictive elimination diets. Empowering yourself with this knowledge allows for a more personalized and effective strategy for mitigating migraine attacks and improving your quality of life. For further guidance, the American Migraine Foundation provides comprehensive resources on managing triggers and adopting healthier eating patterns.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tyramine is a naturally occurring compound derived from the amino acid tyrosine, and it is found in aged and fermented foods like aged cheeses, cured meats, and soy products. It may trigger migraines by causing the release of norepinephrine, which can affect blood vessels in the brain.

Caffeine has a dual effect on migraines. While it can offer temporary pain relief by constricting blood vessels, overconsumption or sudden withdrawal can trigger headaches. Consistent, moderate intake or gradual reduction is advised for those sensitive to caffeine.

No, not all cheeses are considered triggers. The highest levels of tyramine are found in aged and hard cheeses, such as blue cheese, cheddar, and Parmesan. Fresh cheeses like ricotta, mozzarella, or cottage cheese generally contain lower levels and are less likely to be problematic.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a food additive and flavor enhancer that is a reported trigger for some people with migraines. Research suggests it may affect nerve signaling in sensitive individuals, though clinical data is mixed.

The most effective way to identify your food triggers is to keep a detailed headache diary. Record everything you eat and drink, along with the timing and nature of any migraine attacks, to look for patterns over several weeks.

For many, red wine is a more common trigger than other alcoholic beverages. This is potentially due to a combination of histamines, sulfites, tannins, and a flavonoid called quercetin, which is particularly abundant in red wine.

The link between chocolate and migraines is debated. For some, chocolate cravings are a symptom of the migraine prodrome phase, leading to the false belief that chocolate was the cause. However, chocolate also contains compounds like phenylethylamine and caffeine that can be triggers for others.

Yes, processed meats can be a trigger for some individuals. They often contain nitrates and nitrites, which are preservatives that can dilate blood vessels and lead to migraines.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, it's generally not recommended to eliminate entire food groups for long periods unless a clear trigger is identified. Restrictive diets can lead to nutritional deficiencies and may not be effective for everyone. Always consult with a healthcare provider before starting an elimination diet.

Maintaining a regular eating schedule is highly important. Skipping meals or fasting can cause drops in blood sugar, which can be a significant trigger for migraines in many people.