MigraineMessenger.com
  • Migraine Messenger
  • Blog
  • Migraine Plan
  • Migraine Meds
  • Migraine Meals
  • Privacy Policy and Disclaimer
  • Index

Migraine Messenger
Blog

...A blog about living a life migraine-free

email me: migrainemessenger@gmail.com

see my Migraine Plan

It's Migraine Pizza Heaven!

2/19/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
Back before I began my Migraine Plan I would notice that I would get migraines after eating tomato sauces.  It took me awhile to put the correlation together between the red sauces and my headaches. I heard that gluten could cause these headaches.  I went on a gluten-free diet and continued eating the red sauce and I still had problems with my migraines.  Red spaghetti has potentially a slew of triggers depending on it's recipe (onion, onion powder, and many additives if store bought). Along this migraine path I have been  walking I have heard many a tale about tomatoes being a problem for people.  Tomatoes are often left off of the list for foods to avoid if you have migraines.  I love tomatoes...especially the little grape tomatoes (yum yum yum). There are differing opinions on whether or not tomatoes should be avoided. Now, I will try explain why I avoid them or at least their sauce and juice.

MSG is the sodium salt of glutamate.  Glutamate is an amino acid, found in all foods with protein.  Glutamate is found naturally in many foods we eat.  Our bodies don't recognize the difference between naturally occurring  glutamate  and that which is added to foods in the form of MSG.  From our bodies perspective, the glutamate present in a tomato is the same as the MSG added to foods. To put the amount of glutamate in a tomato and it's juice (or sauce) in perspective for you, here are some foods and their corresponding glutamate content:

Roquefort cheese 1280 mg/100g
Parmesan cheese 1200 mg/100g
Soy Sauce 1090 mg/100g
Walnuts 658mg/100g
***Fresh tomato juice 260 mg/100g
Grape juice 258 mg/100g
Peas 200 mg/100g
Mushrooms 180 mg/100g
Broccoli 176 mg/100g
***Tomatoes 140 mg/100g
Oysters 137 mg/100g
Corn 130 mg/100g
Potatoes 102 mg/100g
Chicken 44 mg/100g
Fish (Mackerel) 36 mg/100g
Beef 33 mg/100g
Eggs 23 mg/100g
Cow's Milk 2 mg/100g

So, I think my problem with tomatoes is that when I consume them, I eat a bunch of them...not just a slice.   Since I am not often drinking mushroom juice (gross thought...I know) or broccoli juice (not quite as gross of a thought), the limited content I consume even though it may be a generous vegetable serving is not enough to trigger a headache.  I have been known to eat a entire bowl of those yummy grape tomatoes and who doesn't like a nice big bowl of spaghetti?  Apparently my migraine brain doesn't!

Because Pizza is a problem due to it's sauce, cheese, and freshly baked crust (as well as potential nitrates and nitrites in pepperoni etc.) I make my own delicious pizza with some migraine modifications.

I use a pesto base for the sauce by putting some basil, oregano, garlic cloves, salt,  pepper, and olive oil in a food processor and pulsing them all up until it's a consistency I like.

Picture
I sauté up some red bell peppers and shallots (remember no onion for me) because I prefer these on the softer side.
Picture
Picture
I then get my packaged gluten-free crust and smother it in pesto and top with the sautéed bell peppers and shallots.

Picture
Picture
I then stick it in my preheated oven on 425 degrees for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes I get out my Organic American Cheese, pretend that is Parmesan for a moment, and then crumble it onto the top of my pizza.
Picture
Then, I put it back in the oven for about 2 minutes.  I pull it out, slice it up, and then I eat it.  It's migraine pizza heaven:)
1 Comment
Kathy
4/28/2020 07:01:03 am

I have recently realised that tomato sauce gives me migraine. I make my own ministrone, but im getting headaches each time i eat it. I gave up basil and therefore pesto, years ago as that was giving me headaches.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Maren

    A recovering chronic migraineur attempting to globally eliminate headaches via a website and possibly, one blog post at a time.

    contact me: migrainemessenger@gmail.com

    Index for blog

    I have attempted to make searching my blog easier by creating an index page.
    click here to go to index page.

    Archives

    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013

    Categories

    All
    Exercise And Sport
    Food And Diet
    Medical
    Other
    Stress Relief
    Travel
    Weather

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.