NUTRITION & TRIGGERS
Diet
For roughly one in five people with migraine, certain foods or eating habits act as a direct trigger. Identifying your own triggers — and building migraine-friendly foods into your routine — can give you meaningful control over your symptoms.
Common Food Triggers
Not everyone reacts to the same foods. However, researchers have identified several ingredients that frequently provoke migraine attacks because of the compounds they contain. Consider reducing or tracking your intake of the following:
- Aged cheeses and dairy: Blue cheese, brie, cheddar, and parmesan contain tyramine, a well-known migraine trigger.
- Processed and cured meats: Hot dogs, sausages, bacon, and deli meats often contain nitrates or nitrites, which can dilate blood vessels and trigger headaches.
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG): A flavour enhancer common in soy sauce, fast food, frozen meals, and savoury snacks.
- Artificial sweeteners: Some people report that aspartame and sucralose — found in diet sodas and sugar-free products — can bring on an attack.
- Alcohol: Red wine contains both tyramine and histamine. Alcohol also causes dehydration, itself a major trigger.
- Caffeine: A small amount can help abort a migraine, which is why it appears in some headache medications. But excessive intake — or sudden withdrawal — can cause severe rebound migraines.
Migraine-Friendly Foods
No food is a cure, but nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory foods support the nervous system and may help lower the frequency or severity of attacks.
- Magnesium-rich foods — help relax blood vessels and calm overactive nerve pathways.
- Spinach, kale, avocados, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds
- Omega-3 fatty acids — anti-inflammatory fats that may reduce the nerve inflammation associated with migraine pain.
- Salmon, mackerel, sardines, chia seeds, walnuts
- Hydrating foods — dehydration is one of the most common and most preventable triggers.
- Cucumber, watermelon, berries, celery, tomatoes
- Complex carbohydrates — digest slowly and keep blood sugar steady, preventing the crashes that can trigger a headache.
- Oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole-grain bread
Eating Habits for Prevention
Sometimes how and when you eat matters as much as what you eat.
- Keep a food diary. Everyone’s body is different, so tracking is your most reliable tool. For a few weeks, record everything you eat alongside any symptoms. If a headache consistently follows a specific food within 24 hours, you may have found a trigger.
- Never skip meals. Going too long without eating drops your blood sugar, which can trigger an attack. Aim for smaller, balanced meals every three to four hours.
- Drink water consistently. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty. Keep water with you through the day and aim for around eight glasses daily.
General nutritional information only. Speak to a doctor or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, particularly if you have other medical conditions.