Foods that help with Cravings

[sunset]

All, first I apologize if there already is a thread about this subject. But, I did a search and couldn't find anything.

I never thought I'd really be looking in this direction, but yesterday for the 1st time I had intense cravings for a cigarette. For me after 3+ months I'm sure it's not about needing more nicotine (I already do 36mg) and recently added snus, that's a real life safer from going back to smoking.

So I was surprised by the intense cravings that only went away after a dinner, yet I don't know what I did.

Now researching this morning, I'm finding certain foods do help with cravings.

One that's really interesting is the research on Oats. Here's some information I found: "Try Oats -
Yes eating oats, as in oatmeal and oat bran, may help you stifle nicotine cravings and kick the cigarette habit. Boiled oats have long been used in India's Ayurvedic system of medicine to treat opium addiction. Then someone noticed that the recovered addicts often lost interest in cigarettes as well. That led researcher C.L. Anand at Ruchill Hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, to do a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment published in the scientific journal, Nature.

He took committed cigarette smokers and gave one group an extract of fresh oats and others a placebo. A month later the oat eaters had diminished cravings for cigarettes and were smoking only one-third as they had before the test or as the non-oat eating controls. In fact, five of the thirteen oat eaters stopped smoking entirely; seven cut back by 50 percent. Only one continued to smoke as before. Further, the craving was suppressed for as long as two months after the smokers stopped eating the oats! A later study in mice identified a compound in the oats thought to be the active anti-smoking ingredient. "

And a link to a study they did: Oat extract may cut cigarette cravings: Pilot study

Interesting, I might look more into this one.

Here's another thing I found about nicotine:"When not consumed in cigarettes and most of us consume it everyday as its part of the natural food chain.

Fact – We consume it everyday

It’s present in many common foods such as potatoes, tomatoes chillies and tea"

Now I'm half suspecting it was potatoes...OK, I had three kinds of potatoes yesterday, so maybe that's a clue.

And I read several articles where people think salsa helps with cravings.

Truthfully, for me, I really hadn't thought about food helping with cravings.
Now I'd like to look closer at that.

Anyway, I was just hoping others might jump in with their experience and thoughts.

[KathyD26]

Wow, that's really interesting and encouraging. Apparently wildgreen oats has MOA-B which boosts dopamine. I tried some of the links on the Neuravena site one of which was GNC, but they do not carry the product. I will keep searching. Thanks for the info.

[chc]

Great info!! any and all help with the cravings is a good thing

[KathyD26]

Well the only thing I found that was close was a product by Action Labs called Avena Wildoats Sativa 750mg. caps. It also comes in a liquid. I think I'll give it a whirl.

[Archer]

I've been told banana's help.

[DVap]

Thanks sunset! Nice dovetail with the Nicotine Delivery thread and all the discussions about the various factors that might figure into tobacco cravings.

Anything and everything that could help an individual is worth investigation, especially foods that are good for us anyway.

But won't the FDA have to regulate oats as a drug?

[sunset]

Kathy and All, You're right. I hadn't gotten that far to find the product yet (still eating my potatoes).

When I got to Frutarom Neuravena - Consumer products website, it seems to only be an ingredient in other products...hmm.

I found the same thing you did over at Vitaminshoppe, which is where I get vitamins.

Action Labs has Avena Sativa(Wild Oats) in caps and liquid. I guess it's close or is the same thing...think I'll give the liquid a try, also.

Woa, now I'm reading Avena Sativa has aphrodisiac properties. Not a bad thing, but now I'm wondering if it's the same product I was searching for in the beginning.

I need to understand my oats more...between green wild and wild oats before I end up with another problem.
------
Just briefly looking around, Avena Sativa is said not to help with cravings and has been disproven. So maybe there is a difference after all in the oat type and extraction process.

Sorry guys, I thought this would be easier to find But, still looking around.

[Richie G]

I read an article years ago that stated sunflower seeds have some of the same effects on the body as the act of smoking.

I dunno how true that is, but sunflower seeds keep the hands busy. lol

[KathyD26]

There is a product review on the Vitacost.com site concerning the liquid extract of the Action Labs Wild Oats .(I don't know how to link this) The reviewer used it for cutting back on her smoking with little effort. Also mentioned how relaxed she felt during the day.
Review was dated 9/2007

[TWISTED VICTOR]

....I have to laugh at the irony of a successful "oatmeal patch". Somebody at Big Pharma isn't gonna be happy .