Generally, when we talk about nicotine, we focus all our attention on tobacco, but there are many foods that contain nicotine and which are often completely forgotten.

What is nicotine?

Nicotine is an alkaloid substance with a stimulant effect on the nervous system that is mainly found in the leaves of the tobacco plant. However, it is a substance that is not exclusive to tobacco, but can also be found in certain vegetables and beverages in smaller doses.
The amount of nicotine present in a tomato is 7.1 nanograms, which means that eating about 15 kg of tomatoes is equivalent to one cigarette. However, in other vegetables such as aubergines the concentration is almost 100 nanograms, a much more interesting option as a substitute for cigarettes.

Foods with nicotine

• Tomato
• Potato
• Aubergine
• Pepper
• Cauliflower
• Black tea
• Green tea

Foods to eat if you are quitting smoking

There are some foods that can be of great help when we are trying to quit smoking, either for their nutritional content or for their effect on our emotional state. Some of the most recommended foods are:

Citrus fruits and fruits: those that have a diuretic, relaxing effect or a high vitamin C content are especially recommended. Some of the best known are orange, kiwi, pineapple, pear or apple.

Vegetables: the most recommended are those with a high folic acid, vitamin A and vitamin B content. This group includes carrots, pumpkin, broccoli and asparagus.

Infusions and teas: help to provide hydration to the body, as well as natural purification. The most recommended are green tea and red tea.

Rice and oats: these are two foods with a high selenium content, which helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases and to eliminate toxins generated by nicotine consumption.

Advantages of quitting tobacco

There are many health benefits to quitting smoking. Some of them are:

• Recovery of the sense of smell and ability to taste food.
• Improved breath and oral health.
• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Reduced risk of lung disease
• Reduces blood pressure and improves circulation
• Reduces anxiety
• Improves long-term emotional state

Quitting smoking could be much cheaper and healthier if instead of using nicotine patches we resort to eating aubergine, as its nicotine content could be sufficient for many regular smokers. It will also help you to improve your cooking skills by preparing recipes like this one.