Fruits and Vegetables May Help Smokers Quit

Forget nicotine patches—a new study suggests that fruits and vegetables may help smokers curb their cravings for cigarettes. Surveying 1,000 smokers across the country, researchers from the University of Buffalo observed that those with the highest dietary intake of fruits and vegetables were three times more likely to quit smoking for at least 30 days than those who consumed fewer fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, these individuals smoked fewer cigarettes each day and exhibited decreased nicotine dependence. Though more research is needed to identify an exact explanation, researchers point to produce’s potential to negatively affect the taste of tobacco, as well as its tendency to fill up smokers who confuse hunger with the urge to smoke.