Dairy, Fruits and Vegetables Make Cigarettes Less Palatable
Smokers commonly report that various foods or drinks worsen or enhance the taste of cigarettes. Now, a new study pinpoints those foods and has researchers speculating on whether there might be evidence for a “Stop Smoking Diet.”
The study used an open-ended questionnaire to ask some 209 smokers for reports of foods or beverages that worsen or enhance the taste of cigarettes. Smokers reported that dairy products such as milk and cheese, water, and fruits and vegetables worsen the taste. Foods that enhanced the taste of cigarettes included alcohol, coffee and meat. Menthol cigarette smokers were less likely to report that any foods or beverages influenced the taste of cigarettes, perhaps because the menthol covered up taste changes, researchers said.
Bottom Line: It’s never too late to stop smoking, And healthy eating—and avoiding the trigger foods that enhance cigarette smoking—might help you quit. Researchers recommend that diet modifications be used in combination with standard nicotine replacement therapy, such as the nicotine patch and or nicotine gum. (McClernon, FJ, et al. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, April 2007; 9(4):505-510.)
