When you try to quit smoking, some foods and drinks can be a burden or beneficial.
Are you trying to kick the habit? Or perhaps you know someone who is trying to stop smoking. Then, look at these four foods and drinks to help stay tobacco-free.
Fruits and Veg
When you smoke, you block your body from receiving essential nutrients from calcium to vitamins. For example, smoking one cigarette can drain your body of 25mgs of Vitamin C. By incorporating more fruits and veg into your diet restores nutrients lost. A fact is that research suggests it can even help with your cravings. Best of all, once you quit, your food becomes tastier as the flavors are enhanced, making you enjoy your food more.
Dairy Products
Non-smokers who had stopped smoking also reported that their cigarettes tasted terrible when they smoked and drank milk. They found drinking milk left a bitter aftertaste when smoking. So if you do face cravings, drink some milk or eat dairy products to make your cigarette taste bad, it might help deter the desire.
Sugar-free Mints and Gum
To keep your mouth busy, invest in sugar-free gum or mints. The chewable lasts a long time to help with the urge to smoking. The fact is they even last longer than the withdrawal when it happens.
Enjoy Some Ginseng Tea
One research done found that ginseng has therapeutic properties that help with nicotine addiction. What ginseng does is weaken the effects of dopamine that is a neurotransmitter to the brain. The latter is associated with the pleasure of smoking, releasing the urge to smoke. So, drinking some refreshing ginseng tea might help reduce the urge to smoke, making smoking less appealing.
A Word from Better Health Magazine
When you know what to avoid when you quit smoking, it helps. The truth is that drinks and foods can enhance your taste when smoking to trigger cravings when trying to stop. Caffeine, alcohol, sugary, spicy food, and meat can trigger those cravings. So enjoy the right food and drinks to make quitting a breeze and a bit more comfortable on the tastebuds. Following the above tips might just help improve your chances of a successful quit.