10 Foods and Drinks That Can Help You Quit Smoking

Ask anyone who’s quit smoking (or who has attempted to quit smoking), and he or she will tell you that it’s one of the hardest habits to break. Besides the fact that nicotine is addictive, it’s very difficult to let go of the routine of taking a smoke break. But did you know that, for various reasons, certain foods and drinks could seriously come in handy when you’re trying to quit cold turkey?

Studies have shown that ginseng prevents the “pleasure” neurotransmitter dopamine from being released when you have a cigarette. When taken weekly, it can cut back on the level of enjoyment you get from cigarettes. 

According to a Duke University study, smokers who drank a glass of milk prior to smoking thought that the cigarette tasted terrible, with a bitter aftertaste. So drink some milk every time you have a craving (or dip your cigarettes in milk and let them dry), and before you know it the thought of cigarettes will disgust you. 

A handful of nuts can provide you with energy, protein, and plenty of nutrients, and eating them slowly keeps you busy until the craving passes. 

Oranges, lemons, and pomegranates are loaded with vitamin C, which cigarettes have been shown to deplete from your system. Drinking orange juice and eating other foods packed with vitamin C can replenish the vitamin C in your body, cutting down on cravings. 

Some people find that eating something salty — be it chips, pretzels, or just a fingertip full of salt — can help fend off cravings. 

You’ll probably have an urge for sweet foods after quitting smoking, so stick to fruits. Smoothies, which you can load up with healthy add-ins like vitamin C and wheatgrass, can satisfy that urge. 

Giving your mouth something to do besides smoke is a great way to quit, so keeping some sugar-free gum handy is certainly a smart idea. 

Instead of sucking on sugary candy (or unpleasant-tasting sugar-free candy), sugar-free mints are also a great way to give your mouth something to do besides smoking. 

Vegetables like carrots, celery, cucumber, zucchini, and eggplant also make cigarettes taste awful, just like milk does. Also, if you try hard enough, you can trick your brain into thinking veggie sticks look like cigarettes, and chewing on them gives you something to do besides smoking. 

Yogurt that’s been naturally sweetened (or even an unsweetened variety) is also good to keep handy, because remember: dairy products make cigarettes taste terrible.