What Food Triggers Headaches?

Some of the most common food, beverages, and additives associated
with headaches include:

Aged cheese and other tyramine-containing foods: Tyramine is a substance
found naturally in some foods. It is formed from the breakdown of protein
as foods age. Generally, the longer a high-protein food ages, the greater
the tyramine content. The amount of tyramine in cheeses differs greatly
due to the variations in processing, fermenting, aging, degradation or
even bacterial contamination. Tyramine is also found in red wine,
alcoholic beverages, and some processed meats.

Alcohol: Blood flow to your brain increases when you drink alcohol.
Some scientists blame the headache on impurities in alcohol or
by-products produced as your body metabolizes alcohol.
Red wine, beer, whiskey, and champagne are the most commonly
identified headache triggers.

Food additives: Food preservatives (or additives) contained in
certain foods can trigger headaches. The additives, nitrates and
nitrites, dilate blood vessels, causing headaches in some people.
Cold foods: Cold food, like ice cream, can cause headaches in
some people. It's more likely to occur if you are over-heated from
exercise or hot temperatures. Pain, which is felt in the forehead,
peaks 25 to 60 seconds and lasts from several seconds to one or
two minutes. More than 90% of migraine sufferers report