Food Choices for Quitting Smoking: What to Eat and What to Avoid
Are you trying to quit tobacco or know anyone who is trying to?
Well, whatever the case, allow us to tell you one thing - quitting is difficult. While it is one thing to decide to quit, it is absolutely another thing to stay off tobacco.
While various factors stop you from making the decision, there is an extra layer of difficulties that arise when you quit. Habits like smoking become intertwined with daily routines, social activities, or stress relief - creating strong psychological associations. In addition to this, nicotine addiction makes it even more difficult to say goodbye. Irrespective of all this, it is still doable. All you need is the right amount of willpower, motivation, and knowledge of the availability of the right aids like NRT, willingness to make lifestyle changes and so on - there is one more thing that can aid in the quitting journey.
While most people talk about the importance of support from your loved ones, the need to make lifestyle changes, or coming up with coping mechanisms, very few people know that some foods can also help you in smoking cessation.
In this blog, we will talk about such food items that you can add and steer away from during the quitting process. Since food is an integral part of our life, it gives us strength and nutrition, it also holds some interesting powers that help curb the urge to light up a cigarette and contribute to our overall well-being. Many people consume NRT products like nicotine gums, nicotine tablets or lozenges. There are a few food items that can help you reduce the nicotine cravings.
It is important to note here that these food items only help reduce the cravings, they do not help manage them. If you are looking for a solution to manage nicotine cravings then you must try products like Ryze nicotine gums. They are designed to help you put a controlled amount of nicotine into your body and hence help in managing the unpleasant nicotine withdrawal symptoms that arise when you stop smoking. It is important to manage your nicotine cravings efficiently to successfully get off the cigarette habit.
It is also important to note here that people who are trying to quit, generally tend to put on a lot of weight as they turn to food to satiate their cravings. They hog on unhealthy food that just satisfies their tongue but provides no nutritional value. We have included a few items in the following list that will help keep you full in a healthy manner:
1) Nuts
A powerhouse of fats, vitamins, fiber, and much more - nuts are a great snack for everyone. They are known for helping reduce bad cholesterol and heart diseases and healthily fill your stomach when you feel hungry. They keep you satiated for long. Additionally, these superfoods are extremely portable. You can simply put them in a small pouch or box and take them out anywhere or at any time. They are a great post-lunch snack or can be consumed when you are traveling as they do not require much effort to be consumed.
2) Yogurt and fruits
A tasty and healthy treat - this is a great option for people who have a sweet tooth. This will get your sweet craving fixed without going overboard on sugar. Yogurt is full of calcium and protein - it is good for your health. The healthy probiotics help improve your gut health and are great for you. If you add a few pieces of your favorite fruit to your yogurt - you have a yummy and tasty treat for your entire body. Just make sure to look for plain or low-sugar yogurt, as many brands can be quite sweet.
3) Popcorn
You love eating them in a movie theater but did you know that this snack is also good for your body? It has many nutritional and health benefits as well. As long as you do not add an unhealthy amount of butter and salt to it, this classic movie theater snack will help you keep full. Popcorn is full of fiber and may also contain healthy polyphenols (a type of antioxidant). Popcorns are easy to make - just add some kennels to a pot and let them pop naturally in a little bit of coconut oil, and herbs and you have a portable and quick snack for you.
4) Milk
A great source of nutrition for your body, milk has an additional benefit for smokers as well. Surprisingly, milk has the potential to make cigarettes taste really bad. It does not go well with tobacco. So, if you feel a strong urge to smoke try drinking a glass of milk. Studies show that smoking after a glass of milk causes cigarettes to taste bitter and unpleasant. Because milk and cigarettes are incompatible combinations it helps with the smoking cessation process. Drinking milk will also further increase your metabolism and help you lose weight.
5) Dark chocolate
If you love chocolates, then it is a piece of good news for you. You can have them while you are trying to quit but make sure that you have dark chocolate instead of the regular one. Dark chocolate is a healthy treat that helps curb nicotine cravings. It is full of nutrients and can also help release happy hormones like dopamine. This effect is very similar to what nicotine does to our body. When consumed, it triggers the brain to release neurotransmitters that make you feel happy. Hence, having dark chocolate will help you fight the nicotine cravings. Additionally, having dark chocolate will keep your appetite in check and keep you satiated for long.
Now that you have gone through the list of food items that you should add to your diet while you are on your quitting journey, it is time to quickly look at the 2 main food items that you should avoid during quitting.
1) Sweets
It is advisable to avoid too sugary products like candy as it will only lead to weight gain. Your appetite increases during the smoking cessation period. It is natural for you to crave for something that is sweet. But it will only lead to weight gain and increase the risk of diabetes. Hence, do keep a check on your sweet intake. You can replace artificial sweets with natural sweets like berries or mangoes.
2) Coffee
Coffee and cigarettes taste great together - we know that. But coffee contains caffeine. Caffeine is a trigger for smoking - it makes a person more likely to smoke. Hence if you are someone who has a habit of smoking while sipping coffee then it will be good for you if you let go of coffee for some time while you are trying to quit smoking. As coffee consumption will act as a trigger for smoke - it will remind you of smoking and hence, it will be great if you let go of it.
Therefore, replace coffee intake with tea for 2 weeks especially when you just start your quitting journey. You can also consume other drinks such as juice or herbal drinks such as mint. They will also help reduce the irritation in your throat and calm your nerves.
In conclusion, while getting Online Nicotine Gums can help you manage the nicotine cravings efficiently, adding or avoiding these food items can also turn out to be beneficial. This will not only help manage your weight but will also help you avoid the urges to light that bud. Who knew food had the power to do all this? So, better utilize it to your advantage!
