US: Are fruit and vegetables the answer to quittting smoking?
It turned out that those who ate the most fruit and vegetables were most likely to go long periods without tobacco, or even to quit, over the 14 month study period. It also found that smokers with a high fruit and veg intake were likely to wait a longer time before lighting up in the morning and leave longer spaces between cigarette breaks.
The study was the first that considered the relationship between smoking and fresh produce and, though the result are promising, they are also somewhat ambiguous. Gary Giovano, head of the Public Health Department, responsible for carrying out the study, said "What we don't know is if whether recent quitters increased their fruit and vegetable consumption or if smokers who ate more fruit and vegetables are more likely to quit."
Nobody, as yet, really understands the connection between fresh produce consumption and lower nicotine dependence. There are suggestions that fresh produce makes people feel fuller, and therefore, less likely to need to smoke. However, if this were the case then a hamburger and French fries is likely to be similarly effective.
Other speculations include fruit and vegetables presenting the consumer with a wholesome experience that lessens the need for a cigarette, or that such foods do not enhance the taste and experience of tobacco. This would make sense as many smokers reports appreciation of their habit more when combined with caffeinated and alcoholic drinks as well as after certain meals.
Jeffrey P. Haibach, the author of the report from the study accepted the results were difficult to quantify at this stage, but that they did show promise: "We may have identified a new tool that can help people quit smoking. granted, this is just observation, but improving one's diet may facilitate quitting."