- Eat as little processed foods as possible
- Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
- With meals, remember about fiber and plenty of water
Quitting smoking is difficult because it requires very strong motivation and self-denial. However, the process of quitting smoking can be supported with an appropriate diet. Check out the article below on what to eat and avoid when you are giving up smoking.
Eat as little processed foods as possible
Consumed foods may appear sterile or distasteful due to a damaged sense of taste and smell, and inflammatory changes leading to dryness of the mucous membranes in the throat and larynx. Smoking tobacco products causing disturbed taste sensations contributes to an increased desire for fried, fatty, highly processed products with a high salt and sugar content. This is mainly because fats are flavor carriers.
Foods such as ready-made powdered dishes, stock cubes, fast-food, desserts or sweets can be sources of easily digestible so-called simple sugars (e.g. white sugar, brown sugar, glucose syrup or glucose-fructose syrup). The aforementioned foods are also a source of harmful trans fats, hydrogenated vegetable fats (e.g. in the form of palm oil) and an excessive amount of dyes, flavor enhancers and aromas.
It is suggested to choose products that are as natural and unprocessed as possible. It may be helpful to look more closely at ingredient lists on food labels.
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
When preparing meals, use such methods of preparation as: cooking, steaming, baking and grilling. A healthy recommendation is to eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day - because of the preventative effects of the antioxidants found in vegetables and fruits. As a result, the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is reduced by almost 40% - compared to smokers who only consume two such portions a day.
By baking vegetables such as paprika, garlic, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes or sesame seeds, we can significantly improve the taste of many dishes. In the case of steamed vegetables, we can use dressings based on nuts, avocado mixed with mustard, a little honey or with the addition of fermented vinegars for the same purpose.
With meals, remember about fiber and plenty of water
Due to the fact that the nicotine contained in cigarettes stimulates the central nervous system and accelerates the intestinal peristalsis, we may experience gastrointestinal disorders in the form of constipation when quitting the addiction.
Due to constipation, it is recommended to introduce fiber-based products into the diet and increase the amount of fluids consumed. Adult people should consume 20-40g of dietary fiber in one day.
For smokers of tobacco products, the best sources of fiber and minerals (e.g. magnesium, selenium, zinc) are:
- whole grain products (oat bran, wheat germ),
- natural flakes (oat, rye, barley, etc.),
- buckwheat, pearl barley, brown rice, pearl barley, wholemeal flour, wholemeal rye bread,
- vegetables (artichoke, soybeans, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes, beetroot), including red beans, green beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds (sesame, sunflower),
- fruits (dried fruits, currants, raspberries, blackberries).
For the proper functioning of the entire dietary fiber, you should provide the right amount of fluid each day - preferably in the form of plain water. Women should consume about 8 glasses a day during the day, and men 10 glasses a day.