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4 foods to help you quit smoking (and 3 that make it harder)

By Michelle Edelbaum, December 23, 2009 - 12:49pm

My sister is trying to quit smoking for good. I know it’s really hard for her to kick the habit, so when I found out we were doing this piece in EatingWell Magazine that certain foods can help—or hurt—your chances of quitting, I knew I had to pass it on. Here’s the scoop:

According to a study out of Duke University, these 4 foods make cigarettes taste terrible:
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Dairy Products
• Noncarbonated beverages, such as water and fruit juice

These three foods make cigarettes taste better (avoid!):
• Meat
• Coffee
• Alcoholic beverages

Researchers can’t explain why, but they think that foods may alter saliva production and temporarily change taste buds in a way that makes cigarettes more or less palatable.

Puff up your diet with more of the foods that can give you a leg up on quitting with these healthy recipes:
Fruit: Sweet fruit desserts ready in 15 minutes or less
Vegetables: Delicious recipes for cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and more vegetables
Yogurt: Pina Colada Yogurt Parfaits, Citrus Berry Smoothie and more recipes with yogurt
Cheese: Veggie-loaded Garden Pizza, Caramelized Onion Lasagna and more recipes with cheese

Have you found any foods that make it harder or easier for you to quit smoking? Tell us what you think below.

TAGS: Michelle Edelbaum, Health Blog, Wellness, Nutrition

Michelle is web editor for EatingWell Media Group. She puts her background in journalism to work online at EatingWell.com and in each issue of EatingWell magazine, authoring The Fresh Interview with interesting people in the world of food and health.