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Last Updated: Jan 10, 2023
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4 Supporting Foods That Help When You Plan to QUIT SMOKING!

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Dr. SangeetaDietitian/Nutritionist • 32 Years Exp.M.Sc - Dietitics / Nutrition, Diploma in Diet and Nutrition, Certificate Of Diabetes Education , Ph.D.Nutrition
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4 Surprising foods that can help you quit smoking


Smoking can be one of the most difficult habits to break, requiring a great amount of willpower and commitment. If you’re a smoker who is looking to quit this habit, making some simple changes in your food habit can ease the quitting process.

So, how does food help in quitting smoking? While certain foods can help to reduce your nicotine dependence, there are other foods out there that have been found to make cigarettes taste terrible. Here are some of the options that you can try out if you’re planning to quit smoking:

1. Milk
Milk can give cigarettes a terrible taste. A study conducted by the Duke University shows that consuming a glass of milk right before smoking can make you think that the cancer stick has a bitter taste.
While it’s still not clear what component in milk brings about such an effect, it’s suspected that the bitter taste is a result of the chemical reaction between the lactose in milk and the tobacco smoke. So, have a glass of milk each time you want to smoke.

2. Nuts
Another helpful food alternative that will keep you from reaching for those cigarettes are nuts. This is because hunger can cause you to have a nicotine craving. You can reduce the urge to smoke by having nuts that are high in soluble fibre as they will slow down your digestion.
Full of nutrients, protein and energy, having them whenever you feel the need to light a cigarette can be highly effective in helping you to quit the bad habit.

3. Fruits rich in Vitamin C
Smoking brings about a fall in your body’s Vitamin C levels, which you can easily replenish by consuming fruits that are high on Vitamin C. You can try citrus fruits like oranges and lemons that are known to have high Vitamin C content, or you can even include pomegranates in your diet.
By including these fruits in your diet you can significantly cut down your need to smoke, as these fruits provide a thrust that is similar when you smoke a cigarette. Besides, they leave a similar bitter aftertaste in your mouth as when you smoke after drinking milk.

4. Vegetables
Besides milk and citrus fruits, certain vegetables are also known to give cigarettes a horrible taste. The vegetables that you need to include in your diet are celery, carrots, zucchini, cucumber and eggplant. They have been proven to be very effective in reducing nicotine craving. Take for instance carrots; they contain a compound known as carotenoids, which not only gives cigarettes a bitter taste, but can also make you less dependent on nicotine.
Another reason as to why you must have these vegetables is because they are a simple way of tricking your brain into thinking that they look like cigarettes (because of their stick shape) and can give you the illusion of an actual cigarette whenever you have them.
So, include these foods in your diet and see yourself saying goodbye to smoking much faster.

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