Gum, the patch, accupuncture and even hypnosis are among the many products and procedures that help people stop smoking. However, a change in diet can also help you kick the habit. According to UCanQuit2.org, eating certain foods not only keeps your mouth busy but also makes cigarettes taste bad.
Dairy
A study conducted at Duke University found milk, cheese and yogurt worsened the taste of cigarettes. Duke University psychologist F. Joseph McClernon, Ph.D., says there may be a chemical reaction between something in the dairy products and the nearly 4,000 chemicals that make up tobacco smoke. Milk especially can make a cigarette taste very bitter.
Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables were among the list of foods smokers identified that made their cigarettes taste bad. In addition, munching on a raw carrot or celery stick will fulfill other sensory habits of smoking. While many believe nicotine is largely responsible for addiction, the taste, smell and visual experience of cigarettes is also addictive. Fruits and vegetables can distract you by keeping your mouth busy as well as excite your taste buds and olfactory senses. StopSmokingTip.us also says fruits like apples, strawberries and blueberries can actually make you feel good when you eat them, producing the similar subtle effects of nicotine.
Water
According to QuitSmokingSupport.com, if you are trying to quit, drinking lots of water is very helpful. Not only is it listed among the other foods and drinks that make cigarettes taste bad, it is soothing, healing and detoxifying. It can help you get through the cravings and irritability that come with quitting. In addition to drinking water, it is recommended to take a hot shower, splash your face or soak your feet.
Foods to Avoid
Just as there are foods that can help you quit, there are also foods that bring on cravings and should be avoided. ABC News reports that rich, heavy meals often make people want to have a cigarette. Particular foods and drinks that cause cravings are red meat, soda, coffee and alcohol.
