Smoking has been known to increase the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. When you smoke, you introduce nicotine into your body. Since nicotine is highly addictive, quitting smoking becomes very difficult and you tend to get cravings soon after. Smoking brings about certain changes in your brain and body and there are some foods that can help you overcome the addiction effectively.

What Are The Foods That Help You Quit Smoking?

1. Milk

Whenever you get the urge to light a cigarette, drinking a glass of milk can prove beneficial for you. When milk mixes with the toxins present in a cigarette, it leaves a foul taste in your mouth which can prevent you from smoking. You can even dip cigarettes in milk and let it dry. These milk-dipped cigarettes will taste bitter and can slowly help you quit smoking.

2. Salt

Licking a bit of salt can help curb the urge to smoke. Salt has antidepressant properties that can fill the void left behind when you quit smoking.

3. Ginseng

The nicotine in cigarettes stimulates the release of dopamine—the pleasure hormone—in the brain. Ginseng prevents the release of dopamine induced by nicotine. It also helps reduce the feeling of anxiousness you get when you stop smoking. You can add a tablespoon of ginseng powder to milk and drink it up to 3 times a week.

4. Foods With Vitamin C

Smoking cigarettes robs body of vitamin C overtime and creates deficiency. Taking foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, kale, guava, etc. can replenish your Vitamin C reserves and can also help cut down the urge to smoke.

5. Vegetables

Vegetables such as celery, eggplant, zucchini, carrots, ginger, broccoli, cauliflower, and cucumber should be consumed before smoking. Just like milk, they leave a bitter taste in your mouth when you smoke. These foods also decrease the intensity of dependence on nicotine.

6. Nuts

Sometimes you crave for cigarettes because of oral fixation. You can keep your mouth busy with nuts till the craving surpasses. Some nuts such as apricot, figs, dates, and raisins are rich in alkalines which can help suppress the craving for nicotine.

7. Yogurt

Yogurt is a great way to help curb your urge to smoke. Not only is yogurt healthy but also creates an awful taste in your mouth when you smoke, just like milk and any other dairy product. You can have low-fat yogurt to avoid weight gain when you quit smoking.

8. Oats

When you first quit smoking, your blood sugar level plummets leaving you with headaches and dizziness. You tend to revert back to nicotine to combat these symptoms. Oats have a low glycemic index so they slowly release sugar into your bloodstream and keep your blood sugar level steady. This helps cut back the craving for cigarettes.

Quitting smoking can do wonders for your health and taking the help of healthy, nutritious foods replenishes the the nutrients that are depleted by cigarettes. Remember to stay off caffeine and alcohol when trying to quit smoking as these can make you crave for cigarettes more.

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