If you’re someone whose life is regularly interrupted by headaches, we feel for you. When your head is throbbing, it can be impossible to do just about anything, including relax. While there can be many root causes of headaches, the good news is that there are everyday things you can do to help reduce your risk and frequency of experiencing them.
One of the best ways to support your brain health and keep headaches at bay is by optimizing your diet. This means adding more headache-preventing foods and reducing your intake of certain foods known to trigger them. Let’s dig into the best and worst foods for headaches.
What’s The Link Between Food And Headaches?
The link between nutrition and headaches isn’t just “in your head.” This association is well-established by science, as certain foods and nutrients can either trigger or alleviate headaches.
Low levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and fiber, as well as hydration status, commonly contribute to the onset of migraines and tension headaches.
For example, foods rich in magnesium, such as leafy greens and nuts, may help relax blood vessels and reduce how frequently you’re experiencing headaches. On the other hand, triggers like ultra-processed foods and alcohol contain compounds such as nitrates and tyramine, which can provoke headaches.
Additionally, some researchers think there’s a link between migraines, cellular dysfunction at the mitochondrial level (in what’s known as “the powerhouse of the cell” where energy is produced), and less-than-optimal antioxidant status.
In some cases, an elimination diet (under the supervision of a dietitian) helps identify your specific triggers. Overall, staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet can be especially effective for preventing headaches (and supporting your overall health and wellness).
10 Best Foods For Headache Sufferers
Let’s start with some of the best things you can add to your diet (or eat more of) to help support your brain health and reduce headaches — and why they’re so good for this purpose.
#1 Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and romaine lettuce are rich in magnesium, which is known to reduce the frequency of headaches, particularly migraines.
Magnesium helps relax blood vessels and regulate nerve function, reducing the likelihood of tension and migraine headaches. These greens are also packed with antioxidants that reduce inflammation, a common trigger for headaches.
How to add: Use leafy greens in salads, wraps, sandwiches, or toss them into soups.
RELATED: The Healthiest Dark Leafy Greens You Should Add to Your Diet
#2 Almonds
Almonds are a great source of magnesium. They also provide riboflavin (Vitamin B2), which supports brain energy production and may reduce headache frequency.
How to add: Snack on a handful of almonds in the afternoon or add them to oatmeal, yogurt, and trail mix. You can also enjoy them in the form of almond butter or homemade almond milk for a nutritious dairy-free alternative.
#3 Fatty Fish
Fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), which have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
Inflammation is a key trigger in many types of headaches, particularly migraines. Omega-3s also support blood flow and reduce blood pressure, which can alleviate headache symptoms by promoting healthy circulation to your brain.
How to add: Add tuna to your salad, enjoy mackerel on the grill, or prepare a poke bowl made with sushi-grade salmon. Aim to enjoy it 2-3 times per week for the most omega-3 benefit!
RELATED: 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods That May Help Ease Aches & Pains
#4 Berries
Berries are rich in antioxidants, such as flavonoids and vitamin C, which help fight oxidative stress and inflammation.
By reducing inflammation in the body, berries can help mitigate headache triggers. They also support vascular health, ensuring that blood flow to the brain remains optimal, which can reduce headache intensity.
How to add: Eat strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries on their own, or add them to salads, yogurt, smoothies, and oatmeal.
RELATED: The Healthiest Low-Sugar Fruits to Add to Your Diet
#5 Ginger
Ginger has natural anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea properties, making it a popular home remedy for headache sufferers. Plus, it can block prostaglandins, chemicals that trigger muscle contractions and inflammation, which often lead to headaches. Ginger can also be especially helpful for reducing nausea that sometimes accompanies migraines.
How to add: Add fresh ginger root into smoothies or pressed juices, use dried ginger in warm soups and stir-fries, or add ginger to lattes and baked goods like muffins for a warm and zesty flavor boost.
#6 Watermelon
Dehydration is a common cause of headaches, and watermelon is an excellent hydrating food due to its high water content.
Staying hydrated helps maintain electrolyte balance and prevents the constriction of blood vessels that can cause headaches. Water-rich fruits like watermelon are ideal for preventing dehydration-related headaches.
How to add: Enjoy a slab of watermelon on its own or chop it to put into fruit salad and smoothies.
#7 Avocados
Avocados are packed with healthy fats, potassium, and magnesium, all of which support healthy blood flow and reduce headache triggers like muscle tension.
Potassium is crucial for maintaining electrolyte balance, while magnesium helps to relax blood vessels. Not to mention, avocados are rich in antioxidants that combat inflammation.
How to add: Slather avocado on toast or a bagel, add it to sandwiches, soups, pasta dishes, make guacamole, or use it as a topper for burritos and tacos.
#8 Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene, vitamins C and B6, and potassium, all of which support brain health and can prevent headaches.
The anti-inflammatory properties of these nutrients help to soothe tension and reduce the risk of migraines. Their high fiber content helps maintain stable blood sugar levels, preventing sugar crashes that can trigger or worsen headaches.
How to add: Enjoy sweet potatoes made sweet or savory, adding them to soups, stir-fries, buddha bowls, or even baked goods and yogurt bowls.
RELATED: This Blue Zone Favorite Food Offers Impressive Longevity Supporting Benefits
#9 Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a slow-digesting carbohydrate that provides a steady source of glucose to the brain. Low blood sugar can trigger headaches, and oatmeal helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. It’s also high in magnesium and iron, nutrients that are crucial for preventing headaches related to nutrient deficiencies.
How to add: Make an oatmeal breakfast bowl topped with berries, use oat flour in muffins and baked goods in place of refined flour, or add oats to smoothies for a fiber boost.
#10 Cherries
Cherries (and specifically, tart cherry juice) are a great source of melatonin, a naturally occurring hormone produced by your brain that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Getting enough sleep is important for preventing tension headaches caused by lack of sleep.
They are also high in antioxidants, including anthocyanins and quercetin, which have anti-inflammatory effects that can help reduce headache symptoms. Cherries can be particularly helpful for improving sleep quality and reducing inflammation in headache sufferers.
How to add: Eat cherries on their own, or slice them up for salads, oatmeal bowls, or smoothies.
5 Foods to Avoid if You’re Prone to Headaches
Now that you know what to emphasize in your diet, you might consider how those foods can replace some of the space taken up by foods that may pose a higher risk of promoting headaches.
Note that not everyone will experience a link between these foods and headaches, so it’s important to recognize your triggers and focus on those.
#1 Aged Cheeses
Aged cheeses (like bleu cheese, cheddar, and parmesan) contain high levels of tyramine, a naturally occurring compound that forms when protein breaks down during the aging process.
Tyramine can constrict or dilate blood vessels, which may trigger headaches in sensitive individuals, especially those prone to migraines. Tyramine affects neurotransmitter levels in the brain, which may contribute to headaches.
Instead of aged cheese, try non-aged cheeses like mozzarella, feta, and cottage cheese. Or, opt for dairy-free cheese alternatives, such as almond milk or other nut-based cheeses.
#2 Processed Meats
Processed meats, such as hot dogs and bacon, are often high in nitrates, preservatives used to enhance color and flavor. These compounds can dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow to the brain, potentially triggering headaches, particularly migraines.
In addition, processed meats are high in sodium, which can lead to dehydration, a known cause of headaches, especially if you’re not drinking enough fluids.
Instead, replace these with less processed meat options like roasted chicken or opt for more plant-based proteins like legumes.
#3 Alcohol
Alcohol may affect people differently. However, alcoholic drinks, especially red wine, contain compounds like tannins and sulfites that can trigger headaches by causing the widening of blood vessels and inflammation.
Beer and liquor can also be culprits. Alcohol also dehydrates the body, which can lead to tension and dehydration-related headaches.
In place of alcohol, try mocktails, which taste similar without the alcohol and often have functional benefits.
#4 Caffeine
While small amounts of caffeine can help alleviate headaches, too much caffeine or caffeine withdrawal can have the opposite effect and trigger them.
Overconsumption can lead to dependence, and if caffeine intake is abruptly reduced, withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, may occur. Caffeine also causes blood vessels to constrict, and when it leaves the system, the sudden dilation of these vessels can cause rebound headaches.
If caffeine is a headache trigger for you, choose decaffeinated teas and coffees instead or focus on other hydrating beverages like fruit-infused water or seltzer water.
RELATED: 10 Energy-Boosting Caffeine Alternatives For an Energized Morning
#5 Artificial Sweeteners
Some people are sensitive to artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which can trigger headaches and migraines. Aspartame may interfere with brain chemicals like serotonin, and alter blood vessel function, leading to headaches.
While the exact mechanism isn’t fully understood, studies have shown that aspartame can be a headache trigger in certain individuals, especially those prone to migraines.
Aspartame is often found in sugar-free and low-sugar products, so be sure to read the ingredient label on foods and beverages if you think it’s a trigger for you.
RELATED: The 9 Healthiest Sweeteners That Are Better Than Refined Sugar
Getting Ahead of Headaches With Nutrition
Overall, one of the most effective things you can do for headache prevention and management is to examine the nutritional quality of your diet pattern.
Focus on ways to increase minimally processed sources of nutrients like omega-3s, magnesium, antioxidants, and B vitamins, while reducing intake of ultra-processed and inflammation-promoting foods (and beverages).
It’s important to remember that chronic headaches and migraines often have several root factors. If your headaches continue or worsen, it’s always a good idea to speak with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance.
