10 Foods That Make Nicotine Cravings Worse & 10 That Stop Them In Their Tracks
10 Foods That Make Nicotine Cravings Worse & 10 That Stop Them In Their Tracks
How to Make Quitting a Little Easier
It’s no easy thing to stop smoking—between highly addictive nicotine and terrible withdrawal symptoms, quitting is a scary mountain to climb. However, your diet highly impacts how bad those cravings actually are, so let’s explore which foods to consume and which ones to avoid.
1. Coffee
For many, coffee and cigarettes go hand-in-hand, which is exactly how people fall off the wagon. That morning cup of joe triggers dopamine, just like nicotine, so the two of them together cause all kinds of trouble for our bodies and your cravings. If you’re looking to veer away from smoking, you might have to veer away from coffee too.
2. Alcohol
Alcohol is just as dangerous as coffee for nicotine cravings. Studies show that alcohol and cigarettes often trigger our urge to consume the other, especially because they both affect the mesolimbic dopamine system (in other words, the reward system in our brains).
3. Meat
As much as we love grilled meat, they don’t do our cravings any favors. According to the NCBI, grilled meat was a top contender for trigger foods with 44% of participants admitting it made their cravings worse.
4. Spicy Food
While you likely won’t have to ditch spicy foods forever, they’re best avoided when you try to quit smoking. The American Cancer Society warns people away from anything too piquant as spicy foods often worsen cravings.
5. High-Sodium Foods
High-sodium foods are dangerous enough for our bodies, but they’re especially troublesome if you’re trying to quit. An NCBI study found that 33.3% of participants said ramen noodles heightened their cravings—a trigger that scored highly along with grilled meat, alcohol, and black coffee.
6. Fried Foods
If you ever needed another reason to ditch fried foods, now’s your chance. These tasty dishes might get our mouths watering but studies also show that they’re also a strong trigger for nicotine cravings. Chinese food, deep-fried batter, and highly oily foods only worsen the urge to smoke.
7. Soda
Quitting smoking is hard enough without all the setbacks, like frustration, trouble sleeping, or jumpiness. Do you know what makes those feelings worse? Caffeine. It’s not always enough to turn your back on coffee, sometimes you’ll need to go a step further and cut out soda as well.
8. Tea
There’s good news and bad news with tea. The good news is that no studies link tea to heightened cravings, which makes it a safe option for those looking to quit. The bad news is that not everyone has a morning cup of coffee, they have a cup of tea, which easily turns this into a trigger. Depending on how you start your morning, you may want to keep your distance for a week or two.
9. Sugary Foods
One of the biggest challenges to quitting nicotine is a sudden urge to consume unhealthy foods. Even if you didn’t crave them before, you may suddenly feel more drawn to sugary options or high-fat meals, which leads to weight gain and the potential for dependence on these foods in place of cigarettes. High-sugar foods can also worsen cravings in general.
10. Foods That Increase the Urge
Not everyone’s cravings are triggered by the same foods. It’s important to stay in tune with what you consume; certain options might heighten the urge more than others, so take note of anything that encourages you to reach for a cigarette.
Not all hope is lost! Though you might have to ditch soda and fried foods, there are still plenty of options that can help you curb cravings entirely.
1. Milk
Did your parents ever tell you to drink more milk? Now’s the time to make them proud! Research shows that dairy products like milk actually make cigarettes taste worse, which helps deter smokers from lighting up.
2. Celery Sticks
Cravings affect our day-to-day lives, including a psychological need to smoke. That’s why it’s so important to indulge in healthy foods that keep your mouth busy, like celery sticks. Not only do they serve as a replacement, but they’re also known to worsen the taste of cigarettes.
3. Sugar-Free Candies
Maybe munching on celery isn’t your thing—it’s sugar-free candies to the rescue. They keep your mouth busy without all that sugar, which helps combat any potential weight gain or reliance on unhealthy food. They’re also great aids against common withdrawal symptoms like dry mouth or sore throat.
4. Water
With coffee and soda (temporarily) off the table, it’s the perfect time to welcome more water into your diet. It’s a powerhouse against notorious withdrawal symptoms—coughing and constipation are soothed with hydration and water also helps reduce cravings in general.
5. Carrots
Look no further than carrots for a crunchy low-calorie option known to curb cravings. The American Cancer Society suggests munching on carrot sticks to keep your hands away from cigarettes and satisfy the urge to pop something in your mouth.
6. Sugarless Gum
Studies show that chewing gum reduces nicotine cravings, which is great news for anyone in desperate need of a distraction. It’s recommended by the American Cancer Society and backed by multiple studies that show its ability to ward off cravings. (Just reach for the sugarless stuff.)
7. Cinnamon
While you probably don’t want to chow down on a cinnamon stick, sucking on one can keep cravings at bay. Not only do cinnamon sticks help with the psychological aspect of smoking, but the smell may ward off cravings as well.
8. Grapes
Popping a few grapes into your mouth keeps your hands and mind busy—and with both distracted, you may find a reduced urge to smoke. They’re also great, low-calorie options that you can indulge in guilt-free throughout the day.
9. Mixed Nuts
Withdrawal comes with all sorts of unpleasant symptoms, including fatigue and irritability. Keep your energy up with almonds or cashews. Nuts are considered a healthy alternative by the American Cancer Society, which recommends stashing them in your car or pocket instead of a cigarette.
10. Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away—and those cravings. They come with several benefits: a satisfying crunch that distracts you from smoking, being a healthy alternative, and they may also worsen the taste of cigarettes, further deterring you from them.
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