For this study, researchers from China wanted to look at how dietary fiber impacted the prevalence and severity of migraines and headaches in participants. To do so, they analyzed existing data on fiber and headaches from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
And based on their findings, it would appear fiber might play more of a role in headaches than we previously thought. Namely, the researchers saw that there was a significant association between the two, with more dietary fiber leading to a decrease in severe headaches and migraines.
For every increase of 10 grams of fiber per day, there was an 11% decrease in the prevalence of headaches and migraines, the researchers observed.
“To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has examined the relationship between dietary fiber and severe headache or migraine,” the study authors note in their research, adding, “Increasing the intake of fiber-rich foods might protect from severe headache or migraine.”