"People across the planet have long enjoyed watermelon. According to historical record, ancient Egyptians first harvested watermelon 5,000 years ago, with cultivation of the fruit then spreading worldwide. Currently, the top producers of watermelon in descending order are Egypt, China, Turkey, United States, and Iran. Although watermelon is a rich source of healthy antioxidants-including lycopene, ascorbic acid, and citrulline- migraineurs best eschew its consumption. But why?"
"According to the results of a 2021 qualitative study, in a cohort of 3,935 migraine patients and 1,163 with tension-type headache, plant foods triggered migraine in approximately 40% of participants after 1.5 hours of consumption. Chief among these offenders was watermelon, which was responsible for migraines 29.5% of the time. Other offenders included passion fruit (3.73%); orange (2.01%); and pineapple (1.52%)."
Watermelon consumption is associated with migraine onset for a substantial subset of migraineurs. A 2021 cohort of 3,935 migraine patients found plant foods triggered migraine in about 40% within 1.5 hours, with watermelon implicated in 29.5% of episodes. A 2023 case-control study reported headache onset about 124 minutes after watermelon ingestion in 24% of migraine participants and observed increased nitrite levels in 24% of participants. Watermelon contains citrulline that can boost nitric oxide, causing vasodilation and potentially promoting meningeal inflammation and altered glucose metabolism. Migraine-prone individuals should track intake and avoid watermelon if it triggers headaches more than half the time.
Read at Psychology Today
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