If you’re one of the 39 million Americans that suffer from migraine, you know how debilitating attacks can be. Between the throbbing headache and medley of other bothersome symptoms, migraine can severely affect your daily functioning. Migraine attacks often strike out of nowhere, wrecking your plans, and making you feel miserable in the process. That’s why when it comes to migraine, prevention is the secret sauce. Diet, lifestyle, and nutritional support can provide massive relief from migraine symptoms and even dial down the frequency of future attacks.
Certain drinks may even help soothe migraine attacks. What’s more, these drinks have little to no side effects, unlike many migraine medications. So the next time your head starts pounding, reach for a glass of one of these ten drinks for potential migraine relief.
10 Best Drinks for Migraine Relief
1 – Water
You knew this one was coming, right? While water might not be the most exciting drink option, it’s crucial for migraine prevention. Dehydration is one of the most common migraine triggers.1 So staying well hydrated is key to keeping migraine attacks at bay. Everyone’s daily water needs will vary depending on their diet, weight, and activity level. But drinking half your body weight in ounces of water is a good place to start.
If drinking enough water is a struggle for you, try these tips:
- Drink two large 16 oz glasses of water right when you wake up.
- Set a timer on your phone with reminders to drink up every hour.
- Purchase a fun water bottle and carry it wherever you go.
- Infuse water with berries, cucumber slices, or mint to make drinking water more enticing.
2 – Coconut Water
If you suspect dehydration triggered your migraine attack, try some coconut water. It’s packed with key electrolytes and other nutrients to help you rehydrate.
Plus, coconut water makes an excellent swap for sugary sports drinks such as Gatorade. Sports drinks are often packed with artificial colors and flavors that can trigger migraine. So opt for a natural electrolyte boost from coconut water instead.
3 – Almond Milk
Almonds are rich in magnesium, an important mineral that’s often low in people with migraine. Research shows magnesium may relieve migraine headaches and even prevent future migraine attacks.2 Almond milk makes an easy swap for cow’s milk and serves as a delicious base for smoothies.
4 – Green Tea
If you’re weaning off caffeine and need a healthy alternative to your morning java, sip on some green tea. Green tea only has 30-50 mg of caffeine, while the average cup of joe clocks in at 80-100 mg. Green tea is also packed with antioxidants to help your body fend off harmful free radicals.
Keep in mind, caffeine is a known migraine trigger. Yet for some people, it can relieve migraine pain in small amounts.3 Remember – everyone has their own unique triggers. So if you’re extremely sensitive to caffeine, pass on the green tea, or choose a caffeine-free version.
5 – Peppermint Tea
If migraine attacks trigger tummy troubles, try sipping on some peppermint tea. It’s been used as a folk remedy for nausea for hundreds of years. One study showed peppermint eased IBS symptoms such as abdominal pain.4 Animal studies suggest peppermint offers pain-relieving effects as well.5
Another plus to peppermint tea is that it’s caffeine-free. So you can enjoy it any time of day without worrying about it spoiling your sleep. However, hold off on peppermint if you struggle with acid reflux. For certain folks, it may trigger heartburn.
6 – Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is another go-to remedy for migraine nausea. This spicy root has been used as a safe and effective treatment for nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, pregnancy, and yes…migraine.678 Ginger also boasts potent anti-inflammatory effects. One study showed ginger eased migraine symptoms just as well as the popular medication Sumatriptan, without any negative side effects.9
Ginger tea is easy to prepare. Simply slice up an inch or two and boil in a few cups of water for 10 minutes. Ginger tea is delicious on its own or with a squeeze of lemon and a bit of honey.
Ingredients:
4-6 thin slices of raw ginger
1 1/2 – 2 cups of water for steeping
juice from 1/2 lime, or to taste (may use lemon instead of lime)
1-2 tbsp honey or agave nectar, or to taste
For variety, mix your favorite ingredients into the basic ginger tea recipe, for example, fresh mint leaves. You can also add just a few slices of ginger to a variety of teas; black, white, green, cinnamon, or chamomile tea. Note: Store fresh ginger in a cool, dark, dry place. Do not keep them in the refrigerator, even after cutting them, or they will shrivel up.
7 – Feverfew Tea
Feverfew is a perennial plant with small daisy-like flowers with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Research shows feverfew may reduce migraine frequency and ease symptoms of migraine attack including pain, nausea, and light sensitivity.10
To make your own soothing migraine tonic, simply steep feverfew leaves in a cup of hot water for five minutes. You can also add in a spoonful of honey or a splash of almond milk for more flavor and benefits.
8 – Green Juices & Green Smoothies
Nutritional deficiencies can trigger migraine attacks. That’s why optimizing your diet is the ultimate migraine prevention tool. And green juices and smoothies provide an easy way to get the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to keep migraine at bay.
Green juices and smoothies are packed with foods rich in folate, such as leafy greens and bananas. Studies show that folate influences the frequency of migraine attacks.11
For extra migraine support, try making smoothies with almond milk or coconut water. If you need some inspiration, try this refreshing green juice for migraine headache help. And stay tuned for even more recipes in a later section.
9 – Warm Lemon Water with Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is famously used for pain and inflammation thanks to its compound capsaicin. Capsaicin blocks one of the neurotransmitters that send pain signals to your brain.
But drinking cayenne water on its own can be intense. Many people opt to add some fresh lemon juice to enhance the flavor and add a potent dose of vitamin C. The citric acid in lemon juice also stokes your digestive fire, which can get sluggish during migraine attacks.12 Keep in mind, drinking cold water can dampen those digestive benefits. So try drinking lemon water warm, or room temperature at the very least.
The next time you feel a migraine coming on, combine:
16 oz of warm water
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
The juice of half a lemon
10 – Golden Milk
Golden milk is a traditional Ayurvedic drink that’s made waves in the wellness space in recent years. It’s made with a combo of turmeric, milk, and other spices. But turmeric is the shining star of the show. It contains curcumin, a compound with powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies show curcumin supplementation decreases migraine symptoms and the frequency of attacks.13 To reap the most curcumin benefits, always add a pinch of pepper. Pepper contains piperine, a compound that increases curcumin absorption by as much as 2,000%!14
3 Healthy & Delicious Migraine Drink Recipes
The drinks above are a great start for helping you sip your way to migraine relief. Yet, if you want an added boost, try the three tasty recipes below. They each include a combo of several superfoods known to ease migraine attacks.
Golden Milk with Ginger and Honey
For powerful anti-inflammatory support, sip on a warm mug of Golden Milk. It’s packed with antioxidants and minerals that support a robust immune system.
Ingredients (serves 2):
2 ½ cups almond milk
1 tsp ground turmeric
1-inch fresh ginger, sliced
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Small pinch pepper
1 tbsp honey
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a saucepan and bring to a simmer, whisking frequently.
Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Strain and serve warm or store in mason jars to enjoy later.
Green Tea Lemonade w/Fresh Mint
Whether you’re looking for migraine relief or a refreshing drink to cool off on a hot summer day, this Green Tea Lemonade will hit the spot. Fresh mint is added for extra flavor and migraine support.
Ingredients (serves 6):
3 bags of green tea
2 cups boiling water
Juice and zest of 3 lemons
3 tbsp honey (or stevia to taste)
4 cups cold water
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
Lemon slices (optional for garnish)
Directions:
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add tea bags. Steep for 3 min.
Remove tea bags and add honey (or stevia), lemon juice, and zest. Stir well.
Add 4 cups of cold water and stir some more.
Serve over ice garnished with fresh mint leaves and lemon slices.
The Ultimate Migraine Smoothie
This smoothie is not only delicious but packed with ingredients to tame migraine symptoms. Here’s why this smoothie is the ultimate migraine prevention tool:
Ultra-hydrating featuring electrolyte-rich coconut water and cucumber, which has a 96% water content!
Excellent source of magnesium, thanks to the combo of spinach, banana, and berries.
Eases digestive upset that often comes with migraine with fresh ginger.
Includes healthy fats and protein courtesy of chia seeds and hemp hearts to lower the glycemic index. This is key as blood sugar imbalances can trigger migraine attacks.
Ingredients:
1 handful spinach
1 cup mixed berries
1 frozen banana
½ inch piece of ginger
½ cucumber, chopped
1 cup coconut water
1 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp hemp hearts
Note: Feel free to swap the chia seeds and hemp hearts out for a scoop of protein powder!
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a high-powered blender.
Blend until smooth and serve immediately.
Takeaways
Migraine attacks can severely disrupt your life and make simple everyday tasks challenging. That’s why prevention is the best course of action for managing migraine. Lifestyle habits and eating a healthy diet free of migraine food triggers are good places to start. Yet certain drinks may offer impressive migraine relief as well. Teas, green juices, and smoothies can supply the essential vitamins and nutrients to tame future attacks or prevent them altogether. But remember – everyone has their own unique migraine triggers. What works for one person may aggravate another. So while the drinks we’ve covered will offer relief for many, you know your body best.
If you notice one of these drinks for migraine trigger you, make a note in your migraine diary. And if certain drinks offer major relief, be sure to add those to your migraine toolkit for the future!
Looking for more tools to add to your migraine toolkit? Check out Migrelief. It includes a unique combo of Magnesium, Riboflavin, and Puracol Feverfew and has been helping people with migraine get their lives back for over 25 years!
To the best of health!
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8280611/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507271/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7468766/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24100754/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16767798/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818021/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4755634/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34851560/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23657930/
- https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/feverfew
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25598270/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35013789/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35070194/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664031/
About AKESO
AKESO formulates world class dietary supplements that provide nutritional support for the most common health issues that concern people most, such as migraines, headaches, joint health, stress & anxiety, memory, sleeplessness, ADHD, and more. Changing lives is the reasons we wake up every day passionate about the special products we provide to our customers. Helping you to get well and stay well is our bottom line.
