We often blame a headache on a stressful day at work, or a late night, but with nine out of ten women and seven out of ten men suffering from them regularly (Pain Forum 2004), the underlying cause could be as simple as a recent snack – what we eat can quite literally be 'a pain in the head'.
Common culprits
One of the most commonly blamed foods for headaches is cheese. Research says this is because it contains an amino acid called tyramine, which happens to be high in older cheeses, like Brie, Cheddar, Stilton and Parmesan. Other foods with tyramine include olives, avocadoes, nuts and red wine.
Ann Turner, director of the Migraine Action Association explains: 'In the 1970's research showed that headaches were a result of the body having difficulty in metabolising tyramine; if your body has problems in metabolising it can cause headaches.'
Chocolate is traditionally linked, but is it really a headache food? 'A lot of people blame chocolate but in a study, people were force-fed chocolate and they didn't get headaches. The changes in the brain start before the pain, so you may crave a sweet thing before a headache kicks in, and then that gets blamed for the symptoms,' says Turner.
Food gaps
Sometimes, if there is a dietary root cause of headaches, it might be when you eat, rather than what you eat.
'Aim to sustain your blood sugar levels and its peaks and troughs by eating regularly and having slow release carbohydrates - like pasta, wholemeal bread and potatoes - and you will be less likely to get a headache,' explains Turner. 'Don't go for more than three to four hours without something to eat, or 12 hours overnight - and don't skip breakfast. Avoid sugary snacks - a bar of chocolate gives you a high peak.'
And pay special attention to what you eat around the time of your period. 'Premenstrual women crave sweet food, as blood sugar fluctuates three to four days before your period,' she adds.
Food additives
Preservatives and artificial sweeteners may increase blood flow to the brain, hence increasing the risk of a headache. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavour enhancer often found in Chinese food, is one to watch out for. 'Food additives can be triggers. MSG, although still not fully understood, may be a culprit, as are nitrates, like the additives in smoked foods, such as ham and bacon,' says Turner.
What we drink
Caffeine in coffee, tea and colas has been linked to headaches, but take care when stopping caffeine consumption altogether. "You can get a caffeine withdrawal headache, so wean yourself off gently - some people get headaches at the weekend when they cut back on work caffeine," explains Turner.
And of course, there's alcohol - but which kinds? 'A lot of people blame red wine for headaches in the UK, but in continental Europe, they blame white wine! The lighter the drink, the better - heavy spirits like brandy, whisky and fortified wines are worse culprits.'
Tracking down headache food
If you are getting regular headaches, i.e. more than once a week, write down what you ate in the 24 hours leading up to the headache, then hide your notes away in a drawer. Once this has happened four or five times, take out the notes, compare them and see if you spot any common foods.
Experiment by taking one food 'suspect' out of your diet for a month to see if it makes a difference. If not, add it back in and try something else.
Lifestyle and diet are generally linked, so look at any changes you may have made to your eating patterns. Has a new job meant that you are eating a different kind of meal in the canteen? Are you getting up earlier to take the kids to school with a huge gap before lunch?
And the most important thing of all, find out why you are getting headaches 'Don't give up a food because you have heard that it gives someone else headaches.'
