Eating Greek yogurt, getting a headache?

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sundaywishes
sundaywishes Posts: 246 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I started eating Greek yogurt about 2 weeks ago. First time I used 2 packets of powdered organic Stevia along with pumpkin pie spice...and got a weird headache. Not a debilitating one, but if you ever get an aspartame headache from sugarless gum or diet soda, you might know what I'm talking about. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a full blown migraine, 5 being "starting to interfere with your functioning," and 1 being "ehh..what headache?" I was about a 3. Wasn't interfering with my work or anything, but I knew it was there. Just felt weird or off. I thought maybe it was the spices because I used a good amount of it, so the next day I tried using cinnamon sugar and one packet stevia. Same reaction. The next time I used Xylosweet crystals or something, and the cinnamon sugar. Same thing. So then I said screw the spices and "sweeteners" and went with good ole honey. Same stupid reaction! :mad: Now I'm wondering if it has to do with the yogurt itself lol. I can't eat it without some kind of sweetener because it is just TOO awfully tart. Anyone ever experience this headache junk?

And on a side note, anyone notice a chalky residue in the corners of your mouth from the yogurt? I'm starting to wonder if I'm a freak of nature...

Replies

  • smittytech
    smittytech Posts: 7 Member
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    Never got a headache from Greek yogurt, but I am curious as to what kind you are eating. Plain Greek yogurt does taste pretty bland, but Chobani makes a ton of different flavor Greek yogurts, that taste very good without adding anything to them. However, if you do add to them...why not try adding some fruit?
  • sundaywishes
    sundaywishes Posts: 246 Member
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    Never got a headache from Greek yogurt, but I am curious as to what kind you are eating. Plain Greek yogurt does taste pretty bland, but Chobani makes a ton of different flavor Greek yogurts, that taste very good without adding anything to them. However, if you do add to them...why not try adding some fruit?


    Thanks for responding!

    I'm eating Kroger (store brand) 0% fat, unflavored. I've looked at the flavored Chobani but it seems like they add some "extra" stuff to it and I'm (as much as I can) a clean eater. I love fruit but I have a feeling adding fruit won't be enough to get me to eat the yogurt unless I puree it and mix it in so it touches every single particle of yogurt lol. I REALLY can't stand the taste of plain Greek Yogurt. I've heard that ones with fat don't taste as bad but I need the fat free to stay within my guidelines.
  • Acliff510
    Acliff510 Posts: 122 Member
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    This happens to me when I get diet limeades from sonic ... not sure why???
  • scrmngdsy
    scrmngdsy Posts: 54 Member
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    Why don't you mix in a tbsp of honey instead of using fake sweetener? I usually do that and add a bit of cinnamon and it's delicious..

    sorry, just saw that you tried honey. Maybe you're allergic? Perhaps try FAGE brand, it never makes me feel bad.
  • smittytech
    smittytech Posts: 7 Member
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    I definitely understand eating as "clean" as possible--as I am allergic to corn and it's in EVERYTHING. Chobani is one of the very few yogurts I can eat, due to how little they add. I cook pretty much all the food I eat nowadays--which actually turned out to be VERY beneficial as I am now a decent cook.

    However, scrmngdsy may actually have a point about being allergic. I hope it's not the case, but I know from personal experience, that getting headaches from food is definitely a symptom of a food allergy.

    Do you have any other symptoms? (itchy throat, etc)
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    try a different brand...I have never had the Kroger brand but I have bought it for my husband once as he lives on greek yogurt for breakfast (adds in fresh or fresh/frozen fruit or granola)...he told me never to buy it again that it tastes nasty...I buy him Trader Joe brand if I am near our Trader Joes - if not he gets Chobani - I get the vanilla flavor...

    I will on occassion have greek yogurt myself - I prefer the fage honey - where the honey is in it's own little container on the side
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    Some brands of yogurt (Yoplait, Dannon to name a few) put in unnecessary modified food starches and other thickeners. Basically they aren't real Greek yogurt (meaning the whey was strained off), they are regular yogurt thickened up with cheap filler. Your plain yogurt's ingredients should read milk and live cultures. Does your brand have any of that stuff added in it? If so, it could be the culprit. However, if your yogurt is just milk and live cultures, maybe you have a lactose sensitivity.
  • Jillian130
    Jillian130 Posts: 174 Member
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    I absolutely love OIKOS Vanilla Greek Yogurt. I add it to a bowl with fresh fruit on top and little bit of plain granola. I was thinking maybe your sweeteners were giving you the headache. Maybe try switching greek yogurt brands, till you find one you like without having to add extra sweeteners. Fresh fruit is all the sweetness you need, especially if you are already accustomed to eating clean.
    Good luck!
  • buckeyegirl0103
    buckeyegirl0103 Posts: 194 Member
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    This happens to me when I get diet limeades from sonic ... not sure why???

    If it has Aspartame (equal) that could be it. I actually pass out from it- the headaches get THAT bad. I can use splenda and truvia but not aspartame......
  • sundaywishes
    sundaywishes Posts: 246 Member
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    Thank you guys for takign time to respond!

    @techmafia - no other symptoms.
    @melsinct - I did notice that it has ~6 ingredients in it, so there's obviously some fillers in there. I'm pretty sure pectin was in, but I don't have the container handy so I can't give specifics. And I doubt I have a lactose sensitivity because I used to drink milk like a fish..cow-fish...baby calf? lol you get the idea. Lactose in any form has never bothered me so I'm thinking it may be the fillers.

    I have a big container left (3 servings) and it was expensive (to me) so I'm gonna finish it out and then try a different (more expensive) brand. You get what you pay for! Like I said, the headache isn't really too bad, just enough to let me know it's there. And with the honey it wasn't as bad as with the sweeteners so I'll stick to that. Now I have to figure out what to do with all these stevia packets...maybe I'll be allowed to return them. They were expensive, too.

    Thanks again everyone!
  • ngrugle0
    ngrugle0 Posts: 8 Member
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    Not sure if you'll see this or not since it's been awhile since your post, but I just wanted to share a couple things. I suffer from migraines and chronic headaches and I'd strongly recommend you read the book "Heal Your Headache" or google "heal your headache food trigger list." It's all about the foods that trigger headaches and migraines and the method you should use to figure out what triggers your headaches. You mentioned that you get "aspartame headaches" so you obviously get headaches from things you're eating even if they don't qualify as migraines. Just FYI, yogurt is on the list of food triggers in the book so while it may be fillers, additives, etc. in the yogurt, it could very well be the yogurt itself. People will throw a lot of ideas at you, but if you take the time to read the book (written by Johns Hopkins neurologist who studies migraines), it might really help you figure out what your headache triggers are because they are different for different people. Hope this helps (and that the headaches stop!). This book literally was like a miracle cure for stopping my headaches.
  • xoxopty
    xoxopty Posts: 1
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    Hi All, I ate fage yogurt and I got a two weeks of migraine, now I am traying oikos and now I can enjoy eating greek yogurt. what ingredient have fage that cause me migraine?
    Regards.
    thanks

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