If you're trying
to quit smoking, eating more fruits and vegetables may help you quit and stay
tobacco-free for longer, according to a new study. The study found that smokers
who consumed the most fruit and vegetables were three times more likely to have been
tobacco-free for at least 1 month when they were contacted 14 months later than those
consuming the lowest amount of fruits and vegetables.
Several
explanations are possible, such as less nicotine dependence for people who
consume a lot of fruits and vegetables or the fact that higher fibre
consumption from fruits and vegetables make people feel fuller. "It is
also possible that fruits and vegetables give people more of a feeling of
satiety or fullness so that they feel less of a need to smoke, since smokers
sometimes confuse hunger with an urge to smoke," explains Haibach, the lead
author of the paper.
And unlike some
foods which are known to enhance the taste of tobacco, such as meats,
caffeinated beverages and alcohol, fruits and vegetables do not enhance the
taste of tobacco. "Foods like fruit and vegetables may actually worsen the
taste of cigarettes," says Haibach.
