Headache-Causing Foods
The list of foods that have been reported to trigger headaches is long and varied. The foods included here are the ones most commonly reported to cause headaches; that's why it's difficult to avoid them without following the headache-prevention diet. Some of you may be susceptible to many of these foods, others to only a few. If you are lucky, you'll find you're not susceptible to any of these foods. The only way to tell is by going on the headache-prevention diet. If you discover an ingredient that triggers your headaches and is not on this list, you should obviously avoid it too.
Vegetables
Prohibited: Beans (lima, Italian,
pole, broad, fava, string, navy, pinto, garbanzo, lentils, snow peas),
pickles, chili peppers, olives.
Allowed: All other fresh, frozen,
dried, and canned vegetables and vegetable juices. Limit tomatoes to
1/2 cup per
day; limit onions to 1/2 cup per day.
Fruits
Prohibited: Dried fruits that
contain preservatives (such as raisins, dates, figs, apricots), avocados, papayas,
passion fruit, red plums, banana-peel extract.
Allowed: All other fresh, frozen,
and canned fruits and juices. Limit citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits,
tangerines, lemons, limes) and pineapple to 1/2 cup per day. Limit bananas to
1/2 banana
per day. (Technically, a tomato is a fruit, so remember to limit tomatoes to
1/2
cup per day.) Organic dried fruits without preservatives (particularly
sulfites).
Breads and Cereals
Prohibited: Any fresh yeast product
straight out of the oven; for example, yeast breads, crackers, pizza dough,
doughnuts, soft pretzels.
Allowed: Store-bought and homemade
breads (white, whole wheat, French, Italian, bagels, etc.) are fine as long as
they are not straight out of the oven and have been allowed to cool (it's OK to
reheat them). Just be careful that they don't contain other prohibited
ingredients, such as raisins, nuts, chocolate, or cheeses. Likewise, you can eat all
hot and cold cereals unless they contain specifically prohibited items, such
as dried fruit or artificial sweeteners.
Dairy Products and Eggs
Prohibited: Most cheeses. Sour
cream, whole milk, chocolate milk, buttermilk, cream.
Allowed: Skim milk or 1%
homogenized milk. Cheeses: American, ricotta, cream cheese, Velveeta, pot, farmer,
cottage. Skim milkbased yogurt (limit it to 1/2 cup per day). Eggs.
Beverages
Prohibited: Alcoholic beverages,
especially red wine; beverages containing chocolate or cocoa; diet beverages
containing artificial sweeteners.
Allowed: Fruit and vegetable
juices, noncaffeinated drinks (if they don't contain artificial sweeteners).
Limit caffeinated drinks, such as coffee, tea, or soda, to 2 cups (approximately
16 ounces) per day. For soda, that's a little more than one can a day.
Soups
Prohibited: Most canned soups and
bouillon cubes (they usually contain MSG, preservatives, or other prohibited
ingredients).
Allowed: Homemade soups and stocks,
unless they contain other specifically prohibited foods, such as beans,
cheese, or large amounts of onion or tomato.
Desserts
Prohibited: Chocolate, carob, and
licorice; ice cream; desserts containing other prohibited foods, such as nuts or
dried fruit, or those made with liqueurs; whipped cream.
Allowed: Cakes, cookies, candies,
and pies, unless they contain prohibited ingredients; gelatin, sherbet, and
sorbet.
Miscellaneous
Prohibited: Monosodium glutamate
(MSG) and tenderizers containing MSG; soy sauce; vinegar, except for white
and cider vinegars; salad dressings containing wine or
vinegar, unless it is white or cider vinegar; cooking sherry; olive oil; seeds,
nuts, peanuts, and peanut butter; all artificial sweeteners;
preservatives, such as nitrates and sulfites; coconuts; capers. Most mustards, ketchups,
and mayonnaises.
Allowed: Anything else not
specifically prohibited, all herbs and spices, white vinegar, cider vinegar, honey,
jams, jellies, dry mustard.
Meat and Seafood
Prohibited: Bacon, hot dogs,
pepperoni, sausage, salami, bologna, ham; organs (liver and other organ meats) ; all
aged, canned, cured, or processed meat products; caviar.
Allowed: All fresh beef, poultry,
fish, or pork products, unless specifically prohibited; tuna and other canned
seafood that is packed in water.
Copyright © 2000 David R. Marks, M.D. and Laura Marks, M.D. Reprinted with permission of the authors. ]
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