What's Your Secret: Taste

By Holly Harding

1 min read

For many of us, changes in how things taste or extreme cravings can signal an impending attack. What we eat can also be a powerful and common trigger. In this What’s Your Secret Video, we discuss various ways that taste comes into play with migraine. In the comment section below, we invite you to let us know what role taste has played in your life with migraine.

How is your taste impacted by migraine? Does it help tip you off to knowing when an attack is coming? Are foods or drinks a trigger?

Note: Migraines often show themselves through the five senses of the human body. Whether in the form of a prodrome or a trigger, it’s almost as if the senses are like kindling just waiting to ignite- with migraine being the match. This What’s Your Secret Video is part of a series on the Five Senses and how they interact with migraine. We hope you will join us in the comment section to share your stories and experiences of how your senses have played a role with your Migraine disease. Stay tuned for more videos.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The Migraine.com team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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jthomp7 Member
Holly, this article is very timely for me, as I had a migraine episode earlier this week, which lasted 3 days! I have identified one possible food trigger: capicola ham. I ate some twice over the weekend. I hadn't eaten any in ages! It didn't occur to me that this could possibly trigger a migraine! I have struggled with migraines for nearly 30 years, and I have learned that some types of foods, to include processed/deli meats, can be triggers. The comment you made in the video about having a "metal taste" as a possible prodrome symptom is interesting, as I have had this symptom! I'm thankful to have the <a href='https://migraine.com' target='_blank'>migraine.com</a> community and the various articles to learn from. They provide encouragement and support as I continue to learn how to better manage my migraines.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 Hi Jen! Yes, I've heard that about processed meats! Ugh, so sorry that set you off for such a long and awful attack-- but I suppose good now that you know. I'm so glad to hear that our community has been helpful to you! That's exactly what we're here for. Please stay in touch!
martiedgar Member
I have TONS of food triggers - onions, white potatoes, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, cheese, chocolate, tomatoes..... 3 or 4 hours before a migraine starts, I crave salty, carb-heavy food.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 Hi Marti- Wondering if you've ever heard of or researched "nightshade" fruits and veggies? A few of the foods you mentioned fall on that list and I believe they are known to cause inflammation in general. A friend of mine who has Rheumatoid Arthritis did an elimination diet in which she completely stopped intake of that family of foods and had a tremendous turnaround in her pain pattern. Might be worth researching and/or talking about with your physician if it's of interest to you. Thanks so much for sharing your triggers- helps us learn from one another!
mcadwell Member
I haven't ever craved a certain food before a migraine. However, I have experienced a hunger so fierce that I could have eaten breakfast, lunch, dinner, my house, and the neighborhood, and still be hungry - before a migraine hits. By that time the migraine arrived I'd definitely eaten so I ended up vomiting. This has happened more than once, I've learned when I feel that kind of hungry, something is up, so I take an Excedrin Migraine pill as a precaution. Oh, and after each migraine I become famished too.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 That's fascinating- the feeling of being famished being a prodrome and postdrome for you. For many, extreme hunger comes into play as a trigger- when a meal has been missed, etc. For you it sounds like a signal. To me it is yet another confirmation of two things- the tie between migraine and the gut (<a href='https://migraine.com/blog/gut-brain-connection' target='_blank'>https://migraine.com/blog/gut-brain-connection/</a>) and the fact that migraine is a neurological disease. Thanks for sharing your experience!
azreynolds Member
I have never heard of having a craving before a migraine. I know about food triggers, but never paid attention to whether or not I craved anything. I will try to pay attention. Interesting idea.
1. Holly Harding Moderator & Contributor
 Glad to give you something new to consider. Please check back in to let us know if you find something revelatory. Thanks for being a part of our community!