Do Cheese Puffs Really Cause Headaches?

Headaches are a common occurrence for many people, and there are a variety of foods that can trigger them. One type of food that is often cited as a headache trigger is cheese. Cheese puffs are a popular snack food that often contain cheese as an ingredient, so it is not surprising that they are often blamed for causing headaches. However, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that cheese puffs are a headache food. While some people may experience headaches after eating cheese puffs, it is likely that this is due to other factors such as dehydration or sensitivity to certain ingredients.

Mild cheddar, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, American cheese, Colby, and Monterey Jack are all good options for people who suffer from migraine headaches. Tyramine, an amino acid that can cause headaches, is present in aged cheeses such as Parmesan, Asiago, Mozzarella, and sharp cheddar.

Can Cheese Give You A Headache?

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Cheese is not always better for headaches in an older person. You are more likely to get a head injury if you eat aged cheeses such as Swiss, Parmesan, Brie, and cheddar. Aged cheeses contain a high level of tyramine, a naturally occurring chemical found in some foods. Tyramine can irritate blood vessels and cause headaches.

It is best for migraine sufferers to avoid processed cheese. A variety of aged cheeses, such as gruyere, havarti, parmesan, and even some cheddar, can cause headaches in a matter of hours. Tyramine, when consumed in large quantities, can cause a chain reaction, resulting in the narrowing of a few blood vessels in the brain. Tyramine is found in many foods on the list of migraine foods to avoid. A compound found in this substance has been shown to cause migraines. Some foods can cause a migraine within an hour, whereas others can last for 12 hours. If you suspect your diet is to blame, keeping a food journal may be beneficial.

What Foods Cause The Most Headaches?

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It is estimated that headaches are triggered by aged cheeses (blue cheese, brie, cheddar, English stilton, feta, gorgonzola, mozzarella, muenster, parmesan, swiss), alcohol (red wine, beer, whiskey, Scotch, and champagne), peanuts, peanut butter, Pizza is one type of tomato-based food.

Certain foods can cause migraines or other types of headaches. When you pay attention to the foods and drinks you consume, you may be able to identify headaches or migraines. In rare cases, a food can be the cause of only a minor migraine attack in a few people. Other foods may even be misidentified as triggers. Red wine and other alcoholic beverages are frequently linked to migraines attacks. Both white and red wine contains sulfur, which is thought to be an migraine trigger. Any type of alcohol, including wine, is more likely to cause migraines than any other.

When you consume a lot of caffeine, you are more likely to experience headaches. According to the National Headache Foundation, processed meats may dilate blood vessels and cause headaches in some people. MSG (monotonic glutamate) causes stomach upset as well as headaches. hydrolyzed vegetable protein and autolyzed yeast are examples of naturally occurring MSGs. When you’re overheated, your ice cream headaches are more likely, with symptoms lasting between 30 and 60 seconds. Some people have reported headaches caused by artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose. If you’ve noticed headaches after drinking diet soda, you might want to avoid these sweeteners.

Do Cheetos Cause Migraines?

There is no definitive answer to this question as migraines can be caused by a variety of factors. However, some people report that eating cheetos can trigger migraines. This is likely due to the fact that cheetos contain a lot of artificial ingredients and preservatives, which can be irritating to the digestive system and trigger headaches. If you are susceptible to migraines, you may want to avoid cheetos or other processed snacks.

Can Certain Foods Cause Migraines?

Why is Cheetos bad for your headaches?
There is a lot of salt in food. Some people may be sensitive to salty foods, especially those containing preservatives, which may trigger migraines. High sodium levels in the diet can lead to headaches or migraines.
Can eating chips cause headaches?
According to Berk, preservatives found in artificial salt, which is formed to taste like salt, and snacks and processed foods such as potato chips can lead to migraines.
How can I get migraines after eating cheese?
You should avoid eating aged cheeses such as Swiss, cheddar, and parmesan because they can cause head injuries. Aged cheeses have a high Tyramine content, a natural chemical that is present in many foods. A chemical reaction between Tyramine and blood vessels can result in headaches.

Headache Food

There’s no such thing as headache food, but certain foods can help ease headaches and migraines. For example, ginger has been shown to be effective in reducing pain and inflammation. Other migraine-friendly foods include omega-3-rich fish, turmeric, and dark leafy greens.

Food Headache Trackers

There are many different types of headache trackers available to help people identify the foods that may trigger their headaches. Some trackers are simple apps that allow users to input their headache data and track their progress over time. Others are more sophisticated and use wearable devices to track headache activity.

Trigger Headaches

There are many different types of headaches, and trigger headaches are just one type. These headaches are caused by triggering factors, such as certain foods, stress, weather changes, or loud noises. While trigger headaches can be painful, they are not usually severe and can be treated with over-the-counter medication. If you suffer from trigger headaches, it is important to identify your triggers and try to avoid them.

Stress is a common trigger for headaches because it releases chemicals in the brain. Alcohol may cause headaches even if you consume it in moderation for an extended period of time. Nasal congestion or sinus discomfort can be the source of migraines. It is not uncommon for people to suffer from headaches as a result of staring at television, computers, tablets, phones, and video games for an extended period of time. Migraines are typically caused by changes in estrogen levels, which can cause headaches in women. The increased stress level can cause headaches as a result of high blood pressure. Both smokers and non-smokers experience headaches as a result of smoking. When a person has sensitivity to second-hand smoke or has a history of migraines, the smoke from second-hand smoke can trigger an attack.

3 Common Causes Of Chronic Daily Headaches

Migraines on a daily basis can be difficult to manage. It is estimated that many people don’t know what causes them or how to handle them. The headaches that appear on a daily basis are a common symptom of a variety of conditions, but there are a few that are more common than others. Inflammation and other issues with the blood vessels near and in the brain are two of the most common causes. This can be caused by a variety of factors, including a stroke. A common cause of illness is meningitis, which is also caused by infections. Finally, there is an intracranial pressure condition. Either way, the difference is significant. One of the most common causes is stress. Children and young adults are more likely to experience this headache trigger. Stress can be a problem that can be difficult to manage. It can also cause headaches that are worse or exacerbate existing headaches. If you have chronic daily headaches and believe stress is a factor in the problem, you should consult with your doctor. There could be a solution to it that they can recommend.

Here’s How Cheese Causes Headaches with Tyramine

By Suzy Cohen

I love cheese and eat all kinds of it, but that’s because I am among the lucky ones who has no genetic problems processing it. Today I’m going to talk a lot about cheese, just as one example to make the case against tyramine which causes headaches. 

Cheese has tyramine in it, and that’s bad for people who are prone to headaches and migraines. Tyramine itself is called a “monoamine” compound which means it has just one “amine” group in its structure. There’s a ton of tyramine in that cheese pizza, so try to notice if you develop head pain or spikes in blood pressure AFTER eating that. It could even take a day to manifest!

Do you know what breaks down monoamines when we produce them or eat them through cheese? A special oxidase enzyme that makes these otherwise powerful chemicals linger around too long and cause discomfort. In the tyramine case, as you can surmise, we need a “monamine oxidase” or MAO enzyme to break down all the Parmesan cheese in your fettuccine alfredo. If you don’t have enough MAO, or you have a genetic propensity not to make enough of this specific enzyme, you will not be able to handle Parmesan and many other aged cheeses without soon getting a headache, high blood pressure or anxiety.

The MAO Gene
Interestingly, MAO also breaks down dopamine, another important neurotransmitter and if there’s a slow-down in MAO your dopamine builds up and causes all kinds of haywire in the body! If MAO is running super fast (instead of slowly) it can burn up all the dopamine too quickly and this would be problematic to a person who has Parkinson’s disease. The reason is because faster breakdown of dopamine by MAO exacerbates all the symptoms of Parkinson’s!

So in summary, your MAO enzymes can be balanced or they can run too fast, or too slow and that is just how the human body works! MAO is that important and the way your body works as an individual is based upon the MAO gene that your mom gives you. It’s passed down maternally.

There is a condition which they say is “rare” but it’s really not where a person has a deficiency of this MAO enzyme, and therefore they have trouble with the foods listed below. They may have other health concerns too.

This problem occurs mostly in men. The powers-that-be have dubbed this condition (which I think is really common) as “Monoamine oxidase A deficiency” which just means that there isn’t enough MAO handy to break down the foods you eat. What are the symptoms?

Behavioral problems, attention deficit, hyperactivity, insomnia, vivid or bad dreams, symptoms on the autism spectrum disorder and possibly aggressive outbursts.

Monoamine oxidase A deficiency is a rare disorder that occurs almost exclusively in males. It is characterized by mild intellectual disability and behavioral problems beginning in early childhood. They all have problems with cheese.

Just a word of caution, if you take an SSRI drug for depression (such as fluoxetine or paroxetine, etc), or you make too much serotonin yourself… ore even if you take serotonin-increasing supplements like 5-HTP —-> do  not, repeat DO NOT take an MAO inhibitor drug too! This will cause serotonin to rise to extremely dangerous levels.

Researchers figured this out long ago in the 1950’s when they developed antidepressant medications called MAO inhibitors which obviously block MAO enzyme from doing its job and breaking down cheese. People who took the medicine experienced spikes in blood pressure, nausea (or vomiting), heart palpitations and/or headaches whenever they ate foods containing tyramine (like cheese). See below for a complete list of potential tyramine-related symptoms.

No one is 100 percent sure why the tyramine triggers a migraine, but we have some ideas. Perhaps it has to do with an uptick in catecholamine production (specifically noradrenaline), or some vasoconstriction in the blood vessels or something else. Regardless, we know that lowering tyramine in your diet is a good thing if you are headache prone. Another way to say this is that cheese is a migrenade for some of you! That’s a term I use throughout my book entitled Headache Free, available HERE.

The umbrella categories of foods that can trigger tyramine-related problems include those that are cured, fermented, aged, curdled or soured. These are also the same foods that are highest in histamine by the way! Here I will list a handful of popular but problematic tyramine rich foods which you should avoid if you have MAO problems: 

Cheese, all of them (especially aged ones – Brie, Bleu, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, Swiss)
Sauerkraut
Sourdough bread
Breads containing yeast extract
Red Wine
Vermouth
Miso soup
Bean curd

Tofu
Tempeh
Natto
Soy and Teriyaki sauce
Aged meats like salami
Pickled herring
Smoked fish
Caviar
Tap beer
Leftovers in your fridge that are > 48 hours

Tyramine-related Symptoms
Migraine
Severe headache
Blurred vision
Confusion or difficulty thinking
Nausea or vomiting
Chest pain
Elevated blood pressure
Severe hypertensive crisis – May include symptoms above as well as signs of impending stroke

So those who are prone to tyramine headaches are those who have slow (or down regulated) MAO enzymatic pathways. For example:

1. Pregnant Women.
Prenatal stress has been linked to a downregulation of MOA (monoamine oxidase).

2. High Estrogen.
Do you know that if you have high estrogen (estradiol) levels, it will slow the MAO enzyme down and you will have more trouble with tyramine. People with high estradiol are often taking medications that contain estrogen, or producing too much endogenously, or dealing with methylation problems. Sometimes it’s genetic and of course you can also experience elevations in estrogen from BPA in plastics and heavy metal exposure. If you want to test your estrogen metabolites to see if you need to shift anything, there’s an at-home urine test you can take that is the premiere test for hormones! It’s called DUTCH, you can get my free ebook about it here. xxx

3. Genetic SNPs in the MAO pathway.
Some people know they have a genetic problem with their MAO gene pathway because they’ve done the genetic testing. A person who is deficient in Vitamin B6 either due to poor nutrition, or from taking a “drug mugger” of B6
Vitamin B6 is needed to finish the methylation pathway and form 5-MTHF (natural folate in the body), and without B6, this process cannot be accomplished. MAO inhibitor drugs (and SNPs in the pathway of MAO) will impact B6, and therefore suppress folate production in the body. If you have SNPs in this pathway (such as that shown in the pathway above, a little bit of B6 could be helpful). I do realize this information is complex, and there is an interconnectedness with genes, vitamins and disease states, so please talk to a qualified, holistic physician who understands all this. I am not a doctor, so I am unable to weigh in beyond the educational information presented here.

Summary and Helpful Hacks
If you have an MAO problem and you eat cheese, and start to get a migraine I have a hack for you. The following items work to support the MAO pathway and break down tyramine a little faster than normal:

1. Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
2. Ginkgo biloba
3. Increase in intracellular levels of calcium – interestingly caffeine does this! And many of you know this but caffeine is sometimes used to abort a migraine and it could be due to several factors including THIS.

If you need more help, there is a lot of information at the National Headache Foundation: 

I’ve also written a book on the topic available HERE.

If you’d like to lower your tyramine levels, there is a DIET listed HERE.

Can bread trigger a migraine attack?

A migraine is an attack of debilitating headache that may be accompanied by nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine cannot be cured, but it is possible to reduce the frequency of attacks by avoiding some of the triggers that trigger a headache attack.

• Migraine and nutrition
• Gluten and migraine
• How gluten causes migraines
• What to do if you are allergic to gluten?

Migraine is an attack of debilitating headache that may be accompanied by nausea, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine cannot be cured, but it is possible to reduce the frequency of attacks by avoiding some of the triggers that trigger a headache attack. According to scientists, foods containing gluten may be one of the migraine triggers.

Migraine and nutrition

Migraine is the third most common disease. It affects tens of millions of people around the world. This is not only a severe headache, but also other debilitating accompanying symptoms. These include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and dizziness. Often people struggle to determine what is causing their migraine attack. Causes can be environmental, hormonal, genetic, or caused by certain foods such as cheese, red wine, or chocolate.

It is difficult to determine the trigger that triggers an attack in any particular person, but there is a list of foods that increase the risk of migraine:

1. Caffeine
   A small amount of caffeine won’t hurt, but it’s a double-edged sword. By drinking coffee daily, you can become addicted to it, and as a result, the sudden withdrawal of caffeine can cause a headache. Since the amount of caffeine in drinks and foods such as coffee and chocolate varies greatly, it’s worth considering their daily intake.
2. Aged cheeses and meat products (sausage, salami)
   The nitrites or nitrates contained in these products are believed to cause headaches. In addition, they contain a large amount of salt, which can lead to dehydration and trigger a migraine attack.
3. Alcohol
   It’s not so much alcohol per se that is associated with migraines as it is avoiding it the next day. While there is no conclusive evidence that red wine is more of a migraine trigger than other alcoholic beverages, there is speculation that tannins, sulfate preservatives, and other excipients found in alcoholic beverages play a role.
4. Monosodium glutamate
   Glutamate is known to be an excitatory neurotransmitter and can trigger a migraine attack. Glutamate is found in many prepared foods, including barbecue sauce and salad dressings.
5. Citrus fruits
   Along with other high acid foods, citrus fruits sometimes cause stomach irritation and may trigger a migraine attack.
6. Chocolate
   Chocolate is not considered a migraine trigger, but a craving for chocolate can indicate an attack is coming.
7. Spicy foods
   Chili peppers are more likely to cause headaches than any other spicy food. It is likely that pepper affects certain pain receptors in the brain, which lower the threshold of sensitivity and increase the risk of migraine.
8. Foods or drinks containing the sugar substitute aspartame
   Experts aren’t sure why aspartame can cause migraines, but people who are sensitive to this additive should avoid any food that contains it, especially diet sodas.
9. Gluten
   One food that has received a lot of attention in recent years is gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. According to some scientists, gluten can cause a migraine attack.

Gluten and migraine

In people suffering from celiac disease – a digestive disorder caused by an allergy to gluten – there is a clear link between migraine and gluten.

In the absence of gluten allergy, the substance enters the gastrointestinal tract, where food is broken down and nutrients are absorbed. In the case of celiac disease, the human immune system perceives gluten as a foreign substance and attacks it with specific antibodies (serum transglutaminase (TG) 2 autoantibodies) to destroy gluten.

The problem is that in the process of protection, a person’s own healthy tissues are damaged. In other words, when people who are sensitive to gluten consume it, the immune system perceives this protein as foreign and creates antibodies to destroy it. If the protein is in the gastrointestinal tract or has invaded other tissues or organs, the antibodies begin looking for it and attack any tissue that contains the gluten protein.

This causes an inflammatory response that puts the body on high alert, eventually damaging various healthy organs. As a result, molecules are released that cause damage to blood vessels. From the vessels, in turn, water, electrolytes and proteins are released into the surrounding tissues, causing swelling.

This inflammatory response affects the entire body, including the brain. In addition to headache, it can cause a wide variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, and learning difficulties.

How gluten causes migraines

In recent years, scientists have begun to better understand how and why headaches occur.

Early theories suggested that migraines were caused by dilated blood vessels. But neuroscientists now understand that this is only part of the picture. It is now known that a migraine attack is associated with the involvement in the process of a complex of nerve fibers that control facial expressions and its sensitivity.

In the presence of gluten, histamine is released, a substance that is produced by immune cells during an allergic reaction, and other migraine trigger proteins (CGRP).

When these proteins are released, the blood vessels in the meninges expand. As blood vessels dilate, water and proteins seep into the meninges, causing swelling and irritation. The swelling activates the trigeminal nerves, which relay messages to other areas of the brain, including the thalamus, which creates the sensation of pain associated with migraines.

Last year, a new class of drugs was approved in the US for migraine prevention. These drugs are called monoclonal antibodies. They block the action of the CGRP protein.

What to do if you are allergic to gluten?

If you have celiac disease or allergies to wheat and other grains, the answer is simple: remove gluten from your diet. Should you rule out gluten if your allergy test was negative, but you have a migraine? This is worth doing to rule out gluten sensitivity. Perhaps the frequency of migraine attacks will decrease.

Wheat, rye, barley and oats are rich in gluten. In addition, gluten is used for the production of meat products, cheese and confectionery products to give them an elastic texture. This also applies to sauces, ketchup, concentrated soups and bouillon cubes, crab sticks, oriental sweets and stuffed chocolates.

Many gluten-free products are now on the market, making it easier to eliminate gluten from the diet.

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Foods that can cause headaches

Today, few people will be surprised by a headache – all people have experienced this discomfort at least once in their lives.

But scientists have found out that often the cause of a headache can be ordinary products, looking at which you won’t think at all that they are capable of such a thing.

And what are those foods that cause headaches?

Aged cheeses

Hard cheeses that have been aged for some time have matured, such as blue cheeses (with mold), brie and camembert, parmesan, etc., contain tyramine. This substance causes the vessels of the brain to contract first, and then to expand sharply. Tyramine also competes with serotonin and displaces it from the body. Tyramine is formed during the breakdown of proteins.

Pickles

A lot of salt and vinegar is bad, especially if you are prone to headaches. In addition, canned food contains sulfites, salts of sulfurous acid, which can dramatically expand blood vessels.

Alcohol

Sharp vasoconstriction, spasms is one of the most harmful effects of alcohol. In addition, alcoholic beverages also contain tyramine, which causes migraines and dizziness. And red wine also contains tannins and sulfites, which can provoke (but more often just exacerbate) a headache.

Spicy food

Spices contain capsaicin, which can cause headaches.

Frozen foods

Bad news for ice cream and cola lovers: scientists have noticed a connection between headaches and very cold food. Perhaps the fact is that the cold causes a sharp contraction of blood vessels.

Coffee (and other caffeinated drinks)

This should not exceed 200 mg per day. Studies have shown that people who abuse caffeine and drink too much coffee and cola are more likely to suffer from migraines. By the way, decaffeinated coffee also carries a danger, because it contains tannins that are harmful in large quantities: they can provoke a headache.

However, in small amounts, caffeine performs the exact opposite function – it relieves headaches. Therefore, it is added to many pain medications: this substance helps the body absorb them faster.

Smoked meats

They contain not only tyramine (especially for smoked and cured sausages), but also flavor enhancers that can intensify a headache attack and even cause it. Monosodium glutamate, nitrites, especially in large quantities, are harmful to the body.

Nuts

In most cases, they are useful, but if you are prone to headaches, then you should treat nuts with caution. For example, almonds, walnuts, and cashews contain sulfites, which are a potential cause of headaches.