Migraine and Diet: Why Elimination Diets Rarely Work

When you’re diagnosed with migraine, one of the first things people often tell you is to “watch what you eat.” For years, food has been blamed as a primary migraine trigger.

But here’s the truth: most elimination diets don’t work.

Why Diets Got Blamed

Early migraine research pointed to foods like chocolate, citrus, and histamines. Over time, cravings that happen before an attack (in the prodrome phase) were mistaken for causes. People craved chocolate before their migraine, ate it, and assumed it triggered the pain.

What the Science Actually Shows

For most people with migraine, food isn’t the root cause. Instead, only certain additives and preservatives consistently show evidence of increasing attacks:

• Artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, and acesulfame potassium
• Nitrates in processed meats
• Sulfites in dried fruit and wine
• Artificial colorings found in candies and packaged foods

Who Is Truly Food-Sensitive?

Very few people with chronic migraine have genuine food sensitivities—conditions like celiac disease, meat allergies, or mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). These patients benefit from medical testing and structured dietary changes.

A Better Way Forward

Instead of extreme elimination diets, Haven recommends:

• A whole foods–focused approach
• Higher protein intake to stabilize blood sugar
• Regular eating every 3–4 hours
• Avoidance of additives more likely to worsen migraine

Food can support your health—but it’s not a cure for migraine disease.

Work with Haven’s specialists to create a sustainable nutrition plan that supports your body and your life.

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