It might come as a surprise that many fruits, vegetables and berries contain extremely low amounts of nicotine. Nicotine in foods is minuscule. Only option when it contains more nicotine would be that the fertilizer or pesticides were used incorrectly with the crop. Nicotine in plants helps them be stronger against diseases and be less appetizing to insects. The 9 foods that contain nicotine and are mentioned in this article are: eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, tea, green bell peppers, nuts, and spinach. They all contain nicotine but you would have to consume hundreds of kilograms of eggplants, tomatoes or potatoes to gain the equivalent amount of nicotine to a single cigarette. Read this article to find out more details about these foods that contain nicotine and overall aspects of nicotine in food.
1. Eggplants (aubergines)
Eggplants (aubergines) are tropical Old-World solanaceous plants, Solanum melongena, widely cultivated for its egg-shaped typically dark purple fruit.
Eggplants are popular fruits (not vegetables because of the way they are grown) in the eastern countries and that is where they originate from. But you can purchase in almost all of the grocery’s shops all over the world. It is not a sweet fruit and by taste and usage it is more similar to vegetables.
Eggplants contain 0,0001 mg of nicotine per gram, a cigarette contains 1 – 2 milligrams of nicotine.
2. Green Bell Peppers
Green bell peppers are green immature fruits of the bell pepper plant.
Green bell peppers are a popular vegetable native to Central and South America. Green bell peppers are popular all over the world and sold everywhere. Green bell peppers are less sweet than red and yellow bell peppers. They are bitter and when they ripen, they turn into another color (red, yellow).
Green bell peppers contain 0,0000077 -0,000009 mg of nicotine per 1 gram, a cigarette contains 1 – 2 milligrams of nicotine.
3. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are usually large, rounded, edible, pulpy berries of an herb (genus Solanum) of the nightshade family.
Tomatoes are an extremely popular berry that originate from South America, today they are grown and sold all over the world. Although tomatoes are actually berries, they are used like vegetables. Tomatoes are juicy and rich in antioxidants,
Tomatoes contain 0,00001 mg of nicotine per 1 gram, a cigarette contains 1 – 2 milligrams of nicotine. It is notable that green tomatoes contain 5 times more nicotine. The nicotine content in tomatoes lessens as they ripen.
4. Potatoes
Potatoes are round vegetables that grow underground and have white flesh with light brown, red, or pink skin, or the plants on which these grow.
Potatoes originate from Peruvian-Bolivian Andes, and were first cultivated by the Incas. Nowadays it is grown all over the world and it is one the most popular vegetables in the world.
Potatoes contain 0,000007 mg of nicotine per 1 gram, a cigarette contains 1 – 2 milligrams of nicotine. The potato pulp contains double the amount and the peel half the amount of nicotine.
5. Cauliflower
Cauliflower is a garden plant (Brassica oleracea botrytis) related to the cabbage and grown for its compact edible head of usually white undeveloped flowers.
Cauliflower originates from the Northeastern Mediterranean region (Cyprus). Nowadays it is grown all over the world.
Cauliflower contains 0,000003 -0,000007 mg of nicotine per 1 gram, a cigarette contains 1 – 2 milligrams of nicotine.
6. Tea
Tea is the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the tea plant prepared for use in beverages usually by immediate curing by heat or by such curing following a period of fermentation.
Tea originates from southern and eastern Asia. Tea is mainly grown in Asia, Africa, South America, and around the Black and Caspian Seas. But tea is a popular drink all over the world.
Tea contains 0,0001-0,0002 mg of nicotine per 1 gram, a cigarette contains 1 – 2 milligrams of nicotine.
7. Nut
Nut is the dry fruit of particular trees that grows in a hard shell and can often be eaten.
Nut originates from South America. Today nuts are grown all over the world from the tropics to the north.
Nut does not contain nicotine but it contains arecoline. Arecoline is a nicotinic acid-based mild parasympathomimetic stimulant alkaloid found in the areca nut. It has similar effects to nicotine.
8. Spinach
Spinach is a vegetable with wide, dark green leaves that are eaten cooked or uncooked.
Spinach originates from Asia. Today it is grown all over the world.
Spinach contains less than 0,000001 mg of nicotine per 1 gram, a cigarette contains 1 – 2 milligrams of nicotine. That is only with the use of certain fertilizers. Otherwise, Spinach helps to lower your nicotine levels.
9. Cabbage
Cabbage is a large, round vegetable with large green, white, or purple leaves that can be eaten cooked or uncooked.
Cabbage originates from the Middle East. Today cabbages are grown all over the world.
Cabbage contains less than 0,000001 mg of nicotine per 1 gram, a cigarette contains 1 – 2 milligrams of nicotine. That is only with the use of certain fertilizers. Otherwise cabbage helps to lower your nicotine levels.
Read on to find out about the effect of eating nicotine-containing food.
What is the Implication of Food Containing a Small Amount of Nicotine?
The implication of food containing a small amount of nicotine is nothing. Because the nicotine content in food is so small that it has no effects. Only in cases where you are severely allergic to nicotine then there can be some implications. A lot of us breathe in much more nicotine by walking past people who smoke than you ever could with eating plants that contain small amounts of nicotine. There was one case of nicotine poisoning from eating cabbage in 2001 in Japan but that was due to pesticides and fertilizers being used in the wrong way. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that is harmful to your body. Nicotine also is a relaxing and alerting agent at the same time. But the harmfulness of nicotine strongly outweighs the good effects.
Read on to find out if nicotine in food has similar effects to tobacco.
Can Nicotine in Food Have Similar Effects as Tobacco?
No, nicotine in food does not have a similar effect as tobacco. They both contain nicotine but it is a completely different amount of nicotine and it gets absorbed in a different way. For example, 100 kg of eggplants (aubergines) contains 1 mg of nicotine. From an average cigarette 1 mg of nicotine gets absorbed into the body. When you eat nicotine most of its contents will get destroyed by the acid in your stomach and a little will enter your system. Since eating 500 kg-s of eggplants in a short amount of time is impossible then you do not have to worry about nicotine in food entering your system and harming it.
Read on to find out about the benefits of nicotine found in foods.
What are the Benefits of Nicotine Found in Foods?
The benefits of nicotine found in foods are:
- Protects against illnesses: Nicotine in plants helps them fight against different plant illnesses.
- Protects against insects: Nicotine in plants helps them fight different insects and makes them less desirable for them.
- Protects against Parkinson’s disease: Nicotine in food has been found to fight against Parkinson’s diseases as stated in the clinical study published in 2017.
Read on to find out how nicotine in specific foods helps someone to quit smoking.
How can Nicotine in Specific Foods Help Someone to Quit Smoking?
Nicotine in specific foods (eggplant, cabbage, tomato, tea and so on) have a bitter aftertaste due to tobacco content so when you consume them before smoking then it will make the smoking experience horrible. That will help to lower the cravings for smoking next time. In addition to eating those nutritious and healthy foods you should also try nicotine replacement therapy.
Read on to find out how many tomatoes are equal to the nicotine in a cigarette.
How many Tomatoes would be equivalent to the Nicotine in a Single Cigarette Stick?
100 kg of tomatoes would be equivalent to the nicotine on a single cigarette stick. But since eating this many tomatoes in a short amount of time is impossible and would damage your digestive system much more than nicotine then it is impossible to eat enough tomatoes to be equal to one cigarette.
Read on to find out if foods with nicotine are addictive.
Are Foods with Nicotine Addictive?
No, foods with nicotine are not addictive. Because the nicotine content is not big enough to cause addiction. You consume more nicotine while being in an apartment building by secondhand smoking.
Read on to find out how exactly is nicotine is bad for the human body.
Is Nicotine Bad for the Human Body?
Yes, nicotine is bad for the human body. Nicotine causes harm to the Central Nervous System, the Cardiovascular System, the Respiratory System, the Muscular System, and the Gastrointestinal System. Nicotine is an extremely harmful substance that causes nicotine dependence. Quitting the usage of nicotine products is not easy, it needs determination and support.
Read on to find out if tomatoes have nicotine content.
Do Tomatoes Have Nicotine?
Yes, tomatoes have nicotine in them. Tomatoes contain around 0,00001 mg of nicotine per one gram. Unripe(green) tomatoes contain five times more nicotine. The riper the tomato gets the less nicotine it will contain. 100 kg-s of tomatoes contains 1 mg of nicotine, the same as an average cigarette. But by digesting the tomato, a much smaller part of it would enter your system, most of the nicotine content would get destroyed by the acid in your stomach.