Does Vegetarian Cheese cause Migraine?

Vegetarian and vegan cheese in particular can be a little different from traditional cheeses. We know that cheese is often on the list of foods to avoid for migraine patients. But does vegetarian cheese cause migraine?

Let’s be careful about our terms – the cause of migraine is a complex mystery. That is, why one person has a migraine attack and another person doesn’t. What we’re actually talking about are things that trigger an attack, such as certain foods, hormonal changes and weather patterns.

We’re not sure exactly why certain cheeses trigger attacks, but a likely culprit is tyramine, which is a compound found in many foods. Migraine patients may also be sensitive to other chemicals that are added to highly processed foods.

Vegetarian cheeses may still contain high amounts of tyramine, especially aged cheeses. From what I understand about the process of making vegetarian cheese, the levels will probably be similar to normal cheese. Your best bet is to go with cheeses that are fresher. For more information, check out Can I be Migraine-Free and still eat Cheese?

Now vegan cheese is a little different than vegetarian cheese. Although (aged) vegan cheese is . . . well, still aged, it is entirely plant-based. That probably means that some high tyramine products were taken out – but others may have been put in. Unfortunately, I have yet to see a good study on vegan cheeses and tyramine, and I may not see one because it’s all very different depending on the manufacturer.

One downside of vegan cheese is that it tends to be highly processed, which may cause problems for someone with migraine – again, depending on the brand.

Some common ingredients in vegan cheese can trigger migraine attacks in some people – soy, aged soy, yeast, and nuts, for example (more about vegan cheese here).

In the end, until someone starts specifically manufacturing “low tyramine” vegan or vegetarian cheese, you’re probable best to stick with regular, fresh cheeses such as ricotta and cottage cheese. If you’re on a special diet and can’t eat regular cheese for another reason, be cautious and stick to small quantities if you really want to go for a cheese fix.

Again, for basic tips on cheese and migraine, check this article.